elect 1 of 3

verb

Definition of electnext
as in to choose
to decide to accept (someone or something) from a group of possibilities I've elected to study French as my foreign language

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

elect

2 of 3

adjective

i-ˈlekt How to pronounce elect (audio)
as in select
singled out from a number or group as more to one's liking this elect body of students represents the best that the nation's high schools have to offer

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

elect

3 of 3

noun

as in best
individuals carefully selected as being the best of a class the members of this all-American team are the elect of collegiate football

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of elect
Verb
She was elected to the Raytown C-2 School Board in 2021, shortly before winning her legislative seat. — Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 27 July 2026 That’s the lowest percentage in history by a player who eventually got elected by the writers. — Jayson Stark, New York Times, 26 July 2026
Adjective
The National Rifle Association’s board of directors voted Monday to re-elect longtime CEO Wayne LaPierre, signaling that the gun rights group isn’t changing direction despite a rise in mass shootings and its own internal turmoil. — David Ingram, NBC News, 30 May 2022 The illusion of complete normality could prompt people to spend more and re-elect current politicians for office. — Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes, 9 Apr. 2022
Noun
The Spurs elect to not have a defender impede his vision, using all five of their players to guard the four who were moving about for New York. — ABC News, 11 June 2026 In this perilous post-republic period of political persecution and violence, the chances are simply too high that the next elect this year will soon become governor. — Joe Mathews, Mercury News, 2 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for elect
Recent Examples of Synonyms for elect
  1. choose
  2. select
  3. best
  4. pick
  5. selected
  6. aristocracy
  7. preferred
  8. elite
Verb
  • This is likely why affluent jetsetters of every ilk—from multi-generational families to newlyweds on their honeymoon—choose to stay here.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 July 2026
  • Osborne said that the county’s years of investment in the Chiefs and Royals, sometimes through municipal funding, left residents at a financial loss when the teams chose to leave Jackson County.
    — Ilana Arougheti July 28, Kansas City Star, 28 July 2026
Definition of choose
Adjective
  • Designed under the direction of Saint Laurent Creative Director Anthony Vaccarello, the cooler is being sold exclusively through select Saint Laurent Rive Droite stores and online via the Saint Laurent Rive Droite website.
    — Alison Fox, Travel + Leisure, 27 July 2026
  • Monterosso is just one stop (five minutes) away on the Cinque Terre Express, and the seasonal ferry service between the villages also makes select calls in Levanto.
    — Jaclyn DeGiorgio, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 July 2026
Definition of select
Noun
  • His hitting metrics are all career bests, and he’s headed for his fourth consecutive season of 20-plus homers.
    — Zack Meisel, New York Times, 24 July 2026
  • Atwell, the 26-year-old five-year veteran, has modest career bests of 67 receptions (2023), 562 yards (2024), and three touchdowns (2023).
    — Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 10 July 2026
Definition of best
Verb
  • The Missouri General Assembly voted to establish a fair in 1899, and were going to pick the permanent city location from a selection of finalists.
    — Sophie Lindberg, Kansas City Star, 26 July 2026
  • There were moments throughout the chase in which the Wolves truly believed James would pick them, including during a flurry of conversations with his representatives leading into the Fourth of July weekend.
    — David Aldridge, New York Times, 25 July 2026
Definition of pick
Adjective
  • Some cool features include a kill switch that automatically disconnects you from the internet if the VPN connection fails, as well as split tunneling that allows selected apps to use the VPN connection while others transmit data in clear text.
    — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 25 June 2026
  • These pre-selected fighter pilots and their families moved into their apartments during the summer of 1960 after residing at the Frunze Central Airfield in Moscow.
    — Jeff Spry, Space.com, 27 May 2026
Definition of selected
Noun
  • Orangeries, once a status symbol for European aristocracy, are a glamorous accoutrement in large town or country houses.
    — Zoë Dare Hall, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
  • At last, Jones also thought, there was a chance to spotlight the dynamic between North Wales‘ working-class community and its aristocracy on the big screen, a corner of Britain’s social history that has long been sidelined.
    — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 29 June 2026
Definition of aristocracy
Adjective
  • My preferred routine is neither so adventurous nor so educational, toggling mostly between lazy days on the beach and long meals at tavernas.
    — Elly Leavitt, Vogue, 27 July 2026
  • Since cinephiles know that Imax 70mm is Nolan’s preferred format, most of those showtimes are sold out into September.
    — Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 26 July 2026
Definition of preferred
Noun
  • At least a point was taken from every opponent barring Fulham in a campaign that offered no indication of the time Sunderland had spent away from English football’s elite.
    — Philip Buckingham, New York Times, 22 July 2026
  • So how did a coach with such modest credentials elevate himself into the elite at such a late stage of his career?
    — Chris Evans, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
Definition of elite

Browse Nearby Words

elder statesmen
elect
elected
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Cite this Entry

“Elect.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/elect. Accessed 1 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of elect for Spanish Speakers

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