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
Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 17 Feb. 2026
According to polls conducted by Niche, 84% of Blue Valley North students feel safe at the school, while 82% of them like their school and feel happy to be there.
—Rashad Alexander, Kansas City Star, 17 Feb. 2026
To read the results of previous reader polls, click here.
—Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 16 Feb. 2026
In individual polls, his overall approval dips down into the mid 30s.
—Sarah Longwell, The Atlantic, 16 Feb. 2026
Future first-round draft pick and prolific chain-wearer Drew Burress has Georgia Tech near the top of the preseason polls and eyeing a trip to Omaha, even before the season kicks off Friday against Bowling Green.
—Tyler Estep, AJC.com, 11 Feb. 2026
Since then, Cornyn’s TV blitz has defined Paxton as a diminished candidate dogged by ethics questions, a move that has tightened the contest in pre-primary polls.
—Joseph Morton, Dallas Morning News, 11 Feb. 2026
Networks are treating prediction markets like polling data, but polls use scientific sampling, transparent, tried and true methodology.
—Dana Taylor, USA Today, 11 Feb. 2026
There have been no independent polls in the race since Mahan entered the fray.
—Ethan Varian, Mercury News, 10 Feb. 2026
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
Conservative businessman Rafael López Aliaga currently leads in polls, while Keiko Fujimori, the daughter of former President Alberto Fujimori, is running second in most others.
—Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 17 Feb. 2026
According to polls conducted by Niche, 84% of Blue Valley North students feel safe at the school, while 82% of them like their school and feel happy to be there.
—Rashad Alexander, Kansas City Star, 17 Feb. 2026
To read the results of previous reader polls, click here.
—Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 16 Feb. 2026
In individual polls, his overall approval dips down into the mid 30s.
—Sarah Longwell, The Atlantic, 16 Feb. 2026
Future first-round draft pick and prolific chain-wearer Drew Burress has Georgia Tech near the top of the preseason polls and eyeing a trip to Omaha, even before the season kicks off Friday against Bowling Green.
—Tyler Estep, AJC.com, 11 Feb. 2026
Since then, Cornyn’s TV blitz has defined Paxton as a diminished candidate dogged by ethics questions, a move that has tightened the contest in pre-primary polls.
—Joseph Morton, Dallas Morning News, 11 Feb. 2026
Networks are treating prediction markets like polling data, but polls use scientific sampling, transparent, tried and true methodology.
—Dana Taylor, USA Today, 11 Feb. 2026
There have been no independent polls in the race since Mahan entered the fray.
—Ethan Varian, Mercury News, 10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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
-
As the national anthem played following their victories, Smith and Carlos expressed their anger about racial injustice in America by bowing their heads and raising their fists.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Chair-heads are sourcing used Chipotle chairs for their homes—the natural wood and iron look is pretty inoffensive, to be fair.—
Sam Stone,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
In the original video, Enquirer trending news editor David Wysong interviews a man in downtown Cincinnati as part of a man on the street video series.—
Bebe Hodges,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
9 Feb. 2026
-
O’Connor interviews Burke, who seems reluctant to appear before Hammer’s lens, but is mellower and more comfortable delivering on her promise to discuss her late partner so that the work might live forever.—
Murtada Elfadl,
Variety,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
The carry handles each have a magnetic piece that then clips together to form a single bar to grasp.—
Adam Campbell-Schmitt,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
18 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Jokes aside, the derelict skulls touched her.—
Danielle Paquette The Washington Post,
Arkansas Online,
17 Feb. 2026
-
There are a few other freakish laugh-out-loud moments, although there are also times when the metaphor Bergholm keeps hammering into our skulls becomes repetitive.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Feb. 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
-
In his 1939 version, William Wyler shaves away huge chunks of the story.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Witness as Guy Fieri shaves his iconic goatee and trades his frosty spikes for a sensible combover.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Fresh fruit and maple syrup add natural sweetness, while a small amount of nuts or seeds provides crunch and satiety without the sugar overload.—
Kathleen Ferraro,
Verywell Health,
15 Feb. 2026
-
But just as there’s a difference between depicting chaos and depicting chaotically, there’s a difference between presenting theatergoers with a realistic image of mental illness and driving an audience nuts.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
An entire film of buzzy, chaotic music suddenly cuts away so that these sounds can ring out clearly across the cosmos.—
Alex Galbraith,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Off-site construction reliably cuts construction timelines by 10% to 30%, according to an analysis by the Terner Center.—
Ben Christopher,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Polls.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/polls. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
