Synonym Chooser

How does the noun election contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of election are alternative, choice, option, preference, and selection. While all these words mean "the act or opportunity of choosing or the thing chosen," election implies an end or purpose which requires exercise of judgment.

doing a tax return forces certain elections on you

When is it sensible to use alternative instead of election?

While the synonyms alternative and election are close in meaning, alternative implies a need to choose one and reject another possibility.

equally attractive alternatives

When might choice be a better fit than election?

While in some cases nearly identical to election, choice suggests the opportunity or privilege of choosing freely.

freedom of choice

When would option be a good substitute for election?

The meanings of option and election largely overlap; however, option implies a power to choose that is specifically granted or guaranteed.

the option of paying now or later

When is preference a more appropriate choice than election?

In some situations, the words preference and election are roughly equivalent. However, preference suggests a choice guided by one's judgment or predilections.

a preference for cool weather

When could selection be used to replace election?

The words selection and election can be used in similar contexts, but selection implies a range of choice.

a varied selection of furniture

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 election Iowa and Virginia have trended closer toward Democrats, while Maine’s seat is trending slightly toward Republicans, the election forecaster found. Rachel Schilke, The Washington Examiner, 7 Sep. 2025 Lower house elections in October 2024 saw the LDP suffer its worst result in 15 years. Jason Ma, Fortune, 7 Sep. 2025 The election marked the first time since 2009 that the LDP has lost its majority. April Roach, CNBC, 7 Sep. 2025 Schlossberg, the son of Caroline Kennedy and Edwin Schlossberg, served as a Vogue political correspondent during the 2024 presidential election. Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 7 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for election
Recent Examples of Synonyms for election
Noun
  • This grew far beyond the typical choice routes coming out of the backfield.
    Jacob Robinson, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2025
  • Red twig dogwood Red twig dogwood is another great choice.
    Chris McKeown, Cincinnati Enquirer, 6 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The service will display the activities of not just stock traders, but also of those trading crypto, options and other assets.
    Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 10 Sep. 2025
  • The iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max will be made available in Deep Blue, Cosmic Orange, and Silver color options.
    Prakhar Khanna, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Copeland is the fourth Republican candidate to signal an intention to run for the party's nomination in House District 5, which includes a portion of Boone County.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 5 Sep. 2025
  • Ron Paul, the former 12-term congressman from Texas and two-time candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, celebrated his 90th birthday last month.
    W. James Antle III, The Washington Examiner, 4 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Unlike formal speeches or parliamentary votes, a podcast answer can be easily downplayed or disowned.
    MSNBC Newsweek, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Sep. 2025
  • Walz’s proposal, if put to a vote, likely needs bipartisan support to pass.
    Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 4 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • What's next The prime minister's resignation came a day after Interior Minister Ramesh Lekhak also announced his decision to step down.
    Juliana Kim, NPR, 10 Sep. 2025
  • The government subsequently dropped its appeal of the magistrate judge’s decision to release Bryant pending his trial, according to a notice on the docket Tuesday evening.
    Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 10 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Things seemed to be going Sporting KC’s way in the first half of a Sunday night matchup with fellow Western Conference playoff hopeful Austin FC.
    Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 8 Sep. 2025
  • Some of these technologies are essential for ensuring the proper functioning of the service or website and cannot be disabled, while others are optional but serve to enhance the user experience in various ways.
    Matthew Strauss, Pitchfork, 8 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Daniel Lindblade has been in the city for 18 years and isn’t surprised by the selection.
    Michael Butler, Miami Herald, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Customers may purchase or rent a selection of media titles from Prime Video without having an Amazon Prime or Prime Video account.
    Fernando Cervantes Jr, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Election.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/election. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on election

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!