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
Among his campaign pledges is the promise to reform the club statutes to include a requirement that any sale of the club, even partial, would have to be approved by members in a referendum.
—
ABC News, 12 Mar. 2026
Even with both teams already having punched their tickets to the quarterfinals, the building still felt like a referendum.
—Noah Gulley, Miami Herald, 12 Mar. 2026
About 29% of voters answered the first referendum question, which asked whether to approve bond funds for a new police headquarters.
—Abigail Hasebroock, Sun Sentinel, 12 Mar. 2026
Yet the referendum result shows the public clearly wants more voice in school governance.
—Ed Gaskin, Boston Herald, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for referendum
ABC News, 12 Mar. 2026
Even with both teams already having punched their tickets to the quarterfinals, the building still felt like a referendum.
—Noah Gulley, Miami Herald, 12 Mar. 2026
About 29% of voters answered the first referendum question, which asked whether to approve bond funds for a new police headquarters.
—Abigail Hasebroock, Sun Sentinel, 12 Mar. 2026
Yet the referendum result shows the public clearly wants more voice in school governance.
—Ed Gaskin, Boston Herald, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for referendum
Recent Examples of Synonyms for referendum
Noun
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After that, Republicans plan to spend days litigating the bill against Democrats before moving to a decisive vote to break a filibuster.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
17 Mar. 2026
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Conservatives tried and failed to convince Thune to pursue a talking filibuster, an old-school way of blockading legislation that might eventually allow the SAVE America Act to pass at 50 votes.—
David Sivak,
The Washington Examiner,
17 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The City Council’s Rules Committee endorsed Wednesday moving all four of those measures one step closer to the November ballot and having the city attorney’s office craft formal ballot language.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
19 Mar. 2026
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Skinner-Thompson added, however, that the ballot measure could also fuel turnout from voters opposing the bans.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
19 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Referendum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/referendum. Accessed 20 Mar. 2026.
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