1
as in interviews
to go around and approach (people) with a request for opinions or information
assigned to poll residents on their views about a program for recycling
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in clips
to make (something) shorter or smaller with the use of a cutting instrument
time to poll the sheep's wool
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 polls
Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 25 Mar. 2026
To read the results of previous reader polls, click here.
—Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 25 Mar. 2026
But polls can still be very wrong.
—David Hill, Rolling Stone, 25 Mar. 2026
Still, Wagner said, the combination of multiple polls and multiple special elections are enough of a pattern that suggested Democrats will do better this year than in recent election cycles.
—Anthony Man, Sun Sentinel, 25 Mar. 2026
With more than two months until the primary election and polls showing as many as one in four voters still unsure of their choice, there is plenty of time for the candidates to separate.
—Joseph Ax, USA Today, 24 Mar. 2026
While a lot can happen between now and June, early polls show Schlossberg and Bores pulling ahead of the pack.
—Julia Black, Vanity Fair, 24 Mar. 2026
Instead, memory sticks have to be physically taken to the central location, meaning the results don’t appear online until after polls have all closed and a worker has driven the results to Waukegan.
—Joseph States, Chicago Tribune, 18 Mar. 2026
Election officials hoped to see busy polls after statewide turnout in the 2024 primary was 19%, the lowest in more than five decades.
—ABC News, 17 Mar. 2026
Keith Naughton, The Washington Examiner, 14 Mar. 2026
But Finns’ willingness to defend their country also polls far higher than in most other countries, especially in Europe.
—Liam Denning, Bloomberg, 12 Mar. 2026
The report used data from the Illinois State Board of Education’s 5Essentials Survey, which polls students, families and teachers across the state on school climate.
—Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 3 Feb. 2026
This semantic squishiness is a result of The Game Awards' outsourced voting process, which polls over 150 international media outlets (including NPR) to determine a list of nominees.
—James Perkins Mastromarino, NPR, 12 Dec. 2025
Unlike the first movie, for which Phoenix, 51, won his first Academy Award, Folie à Deux saw disappointing box office results and received a D rating from CinemaScore, which polls moviegoers after seeing a movie to aggregate reactions.
—Tommy McArdle, PEOPLE, 13 Nov. 2025
New York — One of the only things that polls worse than the Trump economy is the president’s almost unprecedented use of tariffs.
—Matt Egan, CNN Money, 11 Nov. 2025
Analysts say the older turnout could benefit Cuomo, who polls better with that demographic—but caution that Sliwa also performs well among older voters, potentially splitting support.
—Daniel Orton, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2025
The quarterly survey, which polls executives across manufacturing and services, suggests companies see price pressures easing modestly.
—Arkansas Online, 13 Aug. 2025
Noun
Currently, the Republicans are ahead in polls, including one commissioned by the state’s Democratic Party.
—Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 25 Mar. 2026
To read the results of previous reader polls, click here.
—Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 25 Mar. 2026
But polls can still be very wrong.
—David Hill, Rolling Stone, 25 Mar. 2026
Still, Wagner said, the combination of multiple polls and multiple special elections are enough of a pattern that suggested Democrats will do better this year than in recent election cycles.
—Anthony Man, Sun Sentinel, 25 Mar. 2026
With more than two months until the primary election and polls showing as many as one in four voters still unsure of their choice, there is plenty of time for the candidates to separate.
—Joseph Ax, USA Today, 24 Mar. 2026
While a lot can happen between now and June, early polls show Schlossberg and Bores pulling ahead of the pack.
—Julia Black, Vanity Fair, 24 Mar. 2026
Instead, memory sticks have to be physically taken to the central location, meaning the results don’t appear online until after polls have all closed and a worker has driven the results to Waukegan.
—Joseph States, Chicago Tribune, 18 Mar. 2026
Election officials hoped to see busy polls after statewide turnout in the 2024 primary was 19%, the lowest in more than five decades.
—ABC News, 17 Mar. 2026
Verb
The only other woman and the only Hispanic in the race, Yahoo News puts her at 12% overall, with 16% of Hispanics and 19% of 18-29 voters, groups with which Harris also polls well.
—Keith Naughton, The Washington Examiner, 14 Mar. 2026
But Finns’ willingness to defend their country also polls far higher than in most other countries, especially in Europe.
—Liam Denning, Bloomberg, 12 Mar. 2026
The report used data from the Illinois State Board of Education’s 5Essentials Survey, which polls students, families and teachers across the state on school climate.
—Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 3 Feb. 2026
This semantic squishiness is a result of The Game Awards' outsourced voting process, which polls over 150 international media outlets (including NPR) to determine a list of nominees.
—James Perkins Mastromarino, NPR, 12 Dec. 2025
Unlike the first movie, for which Phoenix, 51, won his first Academy Award, Folie à Deux saw disappointing box office results and received a D rating from CinemaScore, which polls moviegoers after seeing a movie to aggregate reactions.
—Tommy McArdle, PEOPLE, 13 Nov. 2025
New York — One of the only things that polls worse than the Trump economy is the president’s almost unprecedented use of tariffs.
—Matt Egan, CNN Money, 11 Nov. 2025
Analysts say the older turnout could benefit Cuomo, who polls better with that demographic—but caution that Sliwa also performs well among older voters, potentially splitting support.
—Daniel Orton, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2025
The quarterly survey, which polls executives across manufacturing and services, suggests companies see price pressures easing modestly.
—Arkansas Online, 13 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for polls
Noun
-
On September 30th, a few days after the attack, Loomer called out Tim Cook and Sundar Pichai, the heads of Apple and Google, for making such programs available.—
Oriana van Praag,
New Yorker,
28 Mar. 2026
-
The players in this for the long haul — Matas Buzelis, Tre Jones, Patrick Williams and Giddey — are still wrapping their heads around the next steps for a rebuild.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Akers nails 1970s New York’s glitz and grime as Bernie interviews an assortment of renowned chefs, fellow critics, criminals as well as Tirel’s business associates and son, Henri, who also happens to be an old flame.—
Paula L. Woods,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Mar. 2026
-
Twice a week, teacher Christi Cooper interviews her second-grade students for about three to six minutes each on books of their choice.—
Lina Ruiz,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Joe Rodon clips a pass over the top of the Brentford defence for Calvert-Lewin to contest.—
Beren Cross,
New York Times,
25 Mar. 2026
-
The holder clips right to your pack or waders and keeps everything in a neat, easy-to-dispense stack.—
Francesca Krempa,
Outside,
23 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Everyone should be protecting their skulls 200 percent more in this situation and ideally also not punching each other.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
24 Mar. 2026
-
His company discreetly receives, cleans, whitens, and markets human skulls and skeletons for sale strictly to medical, educational, and academic institutions.—
Jeff Wilson,
Outdoor Life,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Even with the increases, Miami-area prices remain under $3 a gallon and are 28 cents lower than a year ago, according to GasBuddy, a national fuel monitoring service that surveys nearly 1,700 stations in South Florida.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
26 Jan. 2026
-
The report surveys a total of 1,900 films released between 2007 and 2025.—
Angelique Jackson,
Variety,
31 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
The Echo Spot shaves it down even further to a half-sphere and adds a handy little touch screen for visual information.—
K. Thor Jensen,
PC Magazine,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Perhaps this shaves off sharp edges around any conversation.—
Simon Hughes,
New York Times,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
While 90% of food allergies involve exposure to the top nine allergens (peanuts, tree nuts, dairy/milk, eggs, sesame, wheat, soy, fish and shellfish), people can be allergic to many other foods.—
Dr. Sonja O'Leary,
Boston Herald,
29 Mar. 2026
-
While the Middle East isn’t as large an export market for California farmers and ranchers as Canada, the European Union or Mexico; the United Arab Emirates ranks in the top 10 as the nuts, strawberries and other products exported there are distributed across the region.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
But the core allegation cuts deeper than fees.—
Hanna Wickes,
Miami Herald,
27 Mar. 2026
-
The vote, on a proposal that requires a driver’s license or comparable ID to cast a ballot in federal elections, represents the latest attempt by Republicans to divide Democrats on a subject that cuts decidedly in their favor.—
David Sivak,
The Washington Examiner,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Polls.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/polls. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
