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
Mara Bovsun, New York Daily News, 2 June 2024
Local election results in Arizona are unofficial until local officials have tabulated and canvassed the results.
—Alexandra Hardle, The Arizona Republic, 21 May 2024
Ian Max Stevenson, Idaho Statesman, 27 June 2024
The Biden campaign will host debate watch parties, phone banks, volunteer trainings, canvasses and other events as part of a week of action surrounding the debate.
—Stephanie Murray, The Arizona Republic, 26 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for canvass 
Verb
More than 120 officers canvassed the neighborhood and learned that Samuel Swartz, 60, and his family, who lived in an adjacent apartment building, had packed up and moved to Brooklyn the day Julia was found.
—Mara Bovsun, New York Daily News, 2 June 2024
Local election results in Arizona are unofficial until local officials have tabulated and canvassed the results.
—Alexandra Hardle, The Arizona Republic, 21 May 2024
Noun
The two-vote margin was the official vote canvass before the recount, which further shifted two votes in Butte County.
—Ian Max Stevenson, Idaho Statesman, 27 June 2024
The Biden campaign will host debate watch parties, phone banks, volunteer trainings, canvasses and other events as part of a week of action surrounding the debate.
—Stephanie Murray, The Arizona Republic, 26 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for canvass
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 7 Jul. 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share