variants
or referendums
as in votes
an event in which the electorate votes for or against a law that deals with a specific issue
They are having a referendum so the public can decide the controversial issue.
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Recent Examples of referenda
Voters approved similar referendums in 2018, 2012 and 2006.
—
Imani Cruzen, Twin Cities, 10 Sep. 2025
The 90-day window for lodging a challenge is tight, but veto referendums have been successful in Missouri as recently as 2017, when labor unions successfully organized to defeat a right-to-work law that would have banned compulsory union fees.
—Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 10 Sep. 2025
The vast majority of big statewide races in Wisconsin the past 30 years have been, to some degree, referendums on an incumbent officeholder.
—Craig Gilbert, jsonline.com, 26 Aug. 2025
In 2022, referendums to become a part of Russia occurred in the Ukrainian regions of Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.
—Tara Suter, The Hill, 24 Aug. 2025
Christian Pulisic’s first competitive match in nearly three months was, at once, a run-of-the-mill, early-round Coppa Italia win for Milan against second-division Bari and the first of many referendums on his summer of rest.
—Henry Bushnell, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2025
Voters would have had to approve the referendums to release local funds and allow the public transit plans to move forward.
—Jake Allen, IndyStar, 9 July 2025
Twice in the last 12 years, California voters rejected referendums seeking to abolish the death penalty.
—Ishani Desai, Sacramento Bee, 2 Jan. 2025
They’ve been supposed referendums on what Notre Dame football can be in the modern age.
—Pete Sampson, The Athletic, 2 Jan. 2025
Imani Cruzen, Twin Cities, 10 Sep. 2025
The 90-day window for lodging a challenge is tight, but veto referendums have been successful in Missouri as recently as 2017, when labor unions successfully organized to defeat a right-to-work law that would have banned compulsory union fees.
—Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 10 Sep. 2025
The vast majority of big statewide races in Wisconsin the past 30 years have been, to some degree, referendums on an incumbent officeholder.
—Craig Gilbert, jsonline.com, 26 Aug. 2025
In 2022, referendums to become a part of Russia occurred in the Ukrainian regions of Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.
—Tara Suter, The Hill, 24 Aug. 2025
Christian Pulisic’s first competitive match in nearly three months was, at once, a run-of-the-mill, early-round Coppa Italia win for Milan against second-division Bari and the first of many referendums on his summer of rest.
—Henry Bushnell, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2025
Voters would have had to approve the referendums to release local funds and allow the public transit plans to move forward.
—Jake Allen, IndyStar, 9 July 2025
Twice in the last 12 years, California voters rejected referendums seeking to abolish the death penalty.
—Ishani Desai, Sacramento Bee, 2 Jan. 2025
They’ve been supposed referendums on what Notre Dame football can be in the modern age.
—Pete Sampson, The Athletic, 2 Jan. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for referenda
Noun
-
Republicans attempted to avoid needing repeat committee votes for dozens of judicial, foreign policy, and various other nominees last week but were blocked by Democrats.—
Ramsey Touchberry,
The Washington Examiner,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Live viewer votes plus the judges’ scores from the first two weeks of competition will determine which couple will be the first eliminated.—
Melina Khan,
USA Today,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Nationwide, over 30% of votes were cast in the 2024 presidential election through mail-in ballots, according to the United States Election Assistance Commission.—
Hailey Bullis,
The Washington Examiner,
11 Sep. 2025
-
But voting rights groups and some election officials are voicing concerns that eligible voters could face barriers to casting ballots or be improperly removed from the rolls if states over-rely on incomplete information from SAVE.—
Miles Parks,
NPR,
10 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Referenda.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/referenda. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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