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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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
Michigan has shown openness this cycle to progressives, with the primary victory of Abdul El-Sayed in the Senate race, but historically has elected more moderate candidates. — Zak Hudak, CBS News, 15 Aug. 2026 None of the party’s candidates — think Nick the Incredible Flying Brick and its current leader, Howling Laud Hope — have ever been elected to Westminster. — Reagan Yip, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 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
But his situation is actually fairly complicated, in part because of how the Hall of Fame elects candidates. — James Mirtle, New York Times, 17 June 2026 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 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
  • Well-known for his penmanship of the Ferrari Enzo over 25 years ago, Japanese designer Ken Okuyama chose the glamorous surroundings of Monterey Car Week to unveil his latest—and perhaps most ambitious—creation, the Kode89.
    — Peter Lyon, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Election officials are reminding voters that Election Day voting differs from early voting because voters cannot simply choose any polling location.
    — Ivan Taylor, CBS News, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of choose
Adjective
  • The Kubasik First Impact Program helps a select cohort of Maryland student-athletes each academic year prepare for life beyond their sport.
    — Dan Mangan, CNBC, 17 Aug. 2026
  • To pull this off, Uber is working with the drone delivery provider Zipline, a company in South San Francisco that first focused on the African market before expanding in the US to deliver food and Walmart orders in select areas.
    — Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of select
Noun
  • With the three-row Kia Sorento, the Hyundai Palisade retains the South Korean brands’ 10-year, 100,000-mile powertrain warranty, both segment and industry bests.
    — James Raia, Mercury News, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Scott William Winters plays Clark, a Harvard student who Will intellectually bests.
    — Jacqueline Weiss, PEOPLE, 28 July 2026
Definition of best
Verb
  • Backstage, Kenny Omega calls the Don Callis Family bullies and tells them to pick any three members to face him and The Young Bucks, who are standing beside Omega, next week.
    — Rob Wolkenbrod, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Antioch Full Gospel Baptist Church members who are facing off in court over control of the College Station congregation will meet Monday to determine the process for picking who gets to preach.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 15 Aug. 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
  • From the viewpoint of the bourgeoisie, both Jews and the aristocracy advocated revolutions and radical change, and thus both attacked the status quo.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2026
  • The latter category, anticipating biomimicry, is well represented by the automata that captivated the aristocracy in the following century.
    — Jonathon Keats, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
Definition of aristocracy
Adjective
  • Acts of Congress, however, are not Trump’s only tool, or necessarily his preferred one.
    — Amy Davidson Sorkin, New Yorker, 16 Aug. 2026
  • James Bord, the professional poker player and owner of Scottish club Dunfermline Athletic, had initially been named the preferred bidder by administrators on Christmas Eve, only to withdraw from the process in late February.
    — Philip Buckingham, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of preferred
Noun
  • The numbers are vast and climbing again but during the countdown to another season, beginning on Friday night, there has been another timely marker to illustrate the rapid financial growth of the Premier League and its elite.
    — Philip Buckingham, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Political freedoms have often been severely restricted, workers have few rights and power has typically been concentrated in the hands of political elites.
    — Tom Zirpoli, Baltimore Sun, 18 Aug. 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 22 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of elect for Spanish Speakers

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