as in vote
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 referendum
Under Virginia law, both houses of the General Assembly would have to adopt the constitutional amendment once more early next year before a redistricting plan could be submitted to voters for approval by referendum.
—
Steve Gorman, USA Today, 29 Oct. 2025
As a result of the referendum, MPS was able to collect an additional $140 million in general revenue from state and local taxpayers last year, and an another additional $51 million this year.
—Rory Linnane, jsonline.com, 29 Oct. 2025
For example, the city didn’t have to put the Olympia Theater sale to a referendum last month because the buyer was a public charter school and the property would be used for educational purposes.
—Miami Herald, 28 Oct. 2025
Britain formally left the European Union in January 2020, after years of negotiating with the bloc following a 2016 referendum.
—Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 27 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for referendum
Steve Gorman, USA Today, 29 Oct. 2025
As a result of the referendum, MPS was able to collect an additional $140 million in general revenue from state and local taxpayers last year, and an another additional $51 million this year.
—Rory Linnane, jsonline.com, 29 Oct. 2025
For example, the city didn’t have to put the Olympia Theater sale to a referendum last month because the buyer was a public charter school and the property would be used for educational purposes.
—Miami Herald, 28 Oct. 2025
Britain formally left the European Union in January 2020, after years of negotiating with the bloc following a 2016 referendum.
—Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 27 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for referendum
Recent Examples of Synonyms for referendum
Noun
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And thank you, Survivor gods for not having Uli lose the immunity challenge, which would have led to yet another super obvious vote, this time of my preseason pick to win it all, Nate.—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
30 Oct. 2025
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When the motion was brought to a vote after more than an hour of consideration, Commissioner Bruce Stebbins voted against it while O’Brien and Commissioner Kimberly Roy were in favor.—
State House News Service,
Boston Herald,
29 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The referendum on the 2025 ballot asks voters to approve or reject a 1% sales tax rate increase to fund road, rail and bus projects across the county.—
Mary Ramsey,
Charlotte Observer,
29 Oct. 2025
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The only candidate listed on the ballot, a Republican amid a sea of Democrats in Southfield, was part of a bid in federal court that sought to block ballots in three key counties from being counted in the November 2020 election in multiple Michigan counties.—
Lily Altavena,
Freep.com,
29 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Referendum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/referendum. Accessed 5 Nov. 2025.
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