variants
or less commonly canvas
canvassed; canvassing
1
: to go through (a district) or go to (persons) in order to solicit orders or political support or to determine opinions or sentiments
canvass voters
canvassed the neighborhood to solicit magazine subscriptions
2
3
obsolete
: to toss in a canvas sheet in sport or punishment
: to seek orders or votes : solicit
was canvassing for a seat in Congress
canvasser
noun
or less commonly canvaser
variants
or less commonly canvas
: the act or an instance of canvassing
especially
: a personal solicitation of votes or survey of public opinion
a house-to-house canvass to ascertain the vote before the election
Synonyms
Examples of canvass in a Sentence
Verb
A team of volunteers is canvassing the city for the Republican Party.
We go to every house to canvass voters.
She is canvassing for one of the presidential candidates this year.
The group has been canvassing neighborhoods to ask people to vote for him.
The company canvassed several sites for a new factory.
Recent Examples on the Web
Gabriella Abdul-Hakim, ABC News, 2 Apr. 2024
The committee also had support in canvassing from LIT, BLOC and Power to the Polls.
—Rory Linnane, Journal Sentinel, 27 Mar. 2024
Results are unofficial until the votes are canvassed after election day.
—Haley Bemiller, USA TODAY, 20 Mar. 2024
Stanford blew it by not firing Jerod Haase last spring and now must canvass the country for a suitable replacement at a somewhat inopportune time.
—Jon Wilner, The Mercury News, 15 Mar. 2024
Detectives and crime scene investigators processed the area for evidence and canvassed for witnesses.
—Andrea Klick, Kansas City Star, 12 Feb. 2024
While DeSantis was still a candidate, the group often boasted about its expansive field organizing and canvassing efforts in early voting states — most notably Iowa, the first-in-the-nation caucus state that DeSantis and his allies placed a heavy political bet on.
—Max Greenwood, Miami Herald, 1 Feb. 2024
The Biden campaign officially launched canvassing efforts throughout the state earlier this month, following a visit to Milwaukee by the president.
—Jessie Opoien, Journal Sentinel, 26 Mar. 2024
Justin Stein, an organizer with KC Tenants, went and canvassed the building, handing out vouchers from local nonprofit Community Service League so people could get hot showers elsewhere.
—Noelle Alviz-Gransee, Kansas City Star, 22 Mar. 2024
Jon Wilner, The Mercury News, 3 Apr. 2024
The large inner screen of the Fold can display more search results and provide a bigger canvass to highlight on.
—Janhoi McGregor, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
Residents who voted provisionally can call the election office after the canvass to see if their votes were counted.
—Luke Nozicka, Kansas City Star, 22 Mar. 2024
Each county board must have canvass meetings, when the results are made official, by March 15.
—Kendrick Marshall, Charlotte Observer, 7 Mar. 2024
Oles said her favorite part of an election is the 30 days after voting ends, the canvass period.
—Ariane Lange, Sacramento Bee, 5 Mar. 2024
While Ducey shook hands with Hobbs after the canvass, Brnovich was quick to stand and leave the room.
—Libby Cathey, ABC News, 5 Dec. 2022
These early election results will change throughout the ballot counting canvass period as vote-by-mail ballots, provisional ballots and other ballots are tallied.
—Rosalio Ahumada, Sacramento Bee, 6 Mar. 2024
Other times, mistakes aren’t spotted until the canvass that is part of the certification process.
—Joedy McCreary, USA TODAY, 4 Mar. 2024
Verb
Shanice Jones, who has been out canvassing in Milwaukee for the group Black Leaders Organizing for the Community, or BLOC, said that as a mother, the images coming from Gaza deeply affected he.
—Gabriella Abdul-Hakim, ABC News, 2 Apr. 2024
The committee also had support in canvassing from LIT, BLOC and Power to the Polls.
—Rory Linnane, Journal Sentinel, 27 Mar. 2024
Results are unofficial until the votes are canvassed after election day.
—Haley Bemiller, USA TODAY, 20 Mar. 2024
Stanford blew it by not firing Jerod Haase last spring and now must canvass the country for a suitable replacement at a somewhat inopportune time.
—Jon Wilner, The Mercury News, 15 Mar. 2024
Detectives and crime scene investigators processed the area for evidence and canvassed for witnesses.
—Andrea Klick, Kansas City Star, 12 Feb. 2024
While DeSantis was still a candidate, the group often boasted about its expansive field organizing and canvassing efforts in early voting states — most notably Iowa, the first-in-the-nation caucus state that DeSantis and his allies placed a heavy political bet on.
—Max Greenwood, Miami Herald, 1 Feb. 2024
The Biden campaign officially launched canvassing efforts throughout the state earlier this month, following a visit to Milwaukee by the president.
—Jessie Opoien, Journal Sentinel, 26 Mar. 2024
Justin Stein, an organizer with KC Tenants, went and canvassed the building, handing out vouchers from local nonprofit Community Service League so people could get hot showers elsewhere.
—Noelle Alviz-Gransee, Kansas City Star, 22 Mar. 2024
Noun
Step back and examine the full CFP canvass, and the Big 12’s share looks even better relative to the other conferences.
—Jon Wilner, The Mercury News, 3 Apr. 2024
The large inner screen of the Fold can display more search results and provide a bigger canvass to highlight on.
—Janhoi McGregor, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
Residents who voted provisionally can call the election office after the canvass to see if their votes were counted.
—Luke Nozicka, Kansas City Star, 22 Mar. 2024
Each county board must have canvass meetings, when the results are made official, by March 15.
—Kendrick Marshall, Charlotte Observer, 7 Mar. 2024
Oles said her favorite part of an election is the 30 days after voting ends, the canvass period.
—Ariane Lange, Sacramento Bee, 5 Mar. 2024
While Ducey shook hands with Hobbs after the canvass, Brnovich was quick to stand and leave the room.
—Libby Cathey, ABC News, 5 Dec. 2022
These early election results will change throughout the ballot counting canvass period as vote-by-mail ballots, provisional ballots and other ballots are tallied.
—Rosalio Ahumada, Sacramento Bee, 6 Mar. 2024
Other times, mistakes aren’t spotted until the canvass that is part of the certification process.
—Joedy McCreary, USA TODAY, 4 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'canvass.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near canvass
Cite this Entry
“Canvass.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/canvass. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
canvass
1 of 2 verb
can·vass
ˈkan-vəs 
: to go through (a district) or go to (people) to ask for votes, contributions, or orders or to determine public opinion
canvasser
noun
canvass
2 of 2 noun
: an act of canvassing
Legal Definition
canvass
verb
can·vass
variants
also canvas
canvassed also canvased; canvassing also canvasing
1
a
: to examine in detail
specifically
: to examine (votes) officially for authenticity
b
: to make the subject of discussion or debate
2
: to go through (a district) or go to (persons) in order to solicit orders or political support or to determine opinions or sentiments
: to seek or solicit orders or votes
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