WordGarden.iopoll
C1Pronunciation
UK
- /pɒl/of kinds of livestock which typically have hornswithout the doll–dole mergeradjective
US
- /ˈpoʊl/
Meanings
Noun
an organized survey that asks people for their opinions or choices
the voting in an election or the recorded vote totals
Verb
to ask people for their opinions or choices in a survey
to receive a stated number of votes in an election
Beyond the definition
A poll is a way of finding out what people think about something, like asking everyone in class their favorite color or doing a national survey before an election. It is about collecting opinions or choices from a group. You might see polls online, read about them in newspapers, or hear about them on the news when people discuss who may win a political race. Sometimes a poll is just a quick show of hands among friends to choose a movie, while other times it is a careful study.
The word also refers to the voting process itself and the place where it happens. When election day arrives, citizens go to the polls to cast their ballots. Whether it is a formal count of votes or an informal collection of opinions, a poll helps us understand what a group thinks or chooses.
A poll has several meanings, all connected to counting people or gathering information from a group. Most commonly, it means a survey used to learn public opinion about something, such as politics, products, or social issues. For example: "Recent polls suggest that voters are concerned about the economy." These polls can range from informal online questions to careful scientific studies meant to represent a large population.
But poll is not only about opinions. It also refers to the act of voting and, in the plural form "the polls," the place where voting happens. This is where citizens go to choose their representatives.
Historically, the word once meant "head," which helps explain the older idea of counting people by counting heads. That older meaning still appears in a few special uses, but in everyday English the word is mainly about surveys, voting, and the opinions or choices of a group.
So, whether you are reading election results, answering an online survey, or going to the polls to vote, poll remains a useful word for gathering opinions, counting choices, and understanding the voice of a group.
Examples
- 1
Website survey
The website ran a quick poll about people’s favorite breakfast foods.
- 2
Voter opinion
A recent poll of voters found that healthcare was their top concern.
- 3
Group choice
Let’s take a poll before we choose a restaurant.
- 4
Public support
The poll showed strong support for the new bus route.
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Election polling
The mayor is still ahead in the polls.
- Phrasein the polls
according to public opinion surveys
- 6
Election voting
Millions of voters went to the polls on Tuesday.
- Phrasego to the polls
vote in an election
- 7
Exit survey
An exit poll suggested that younger voters had turned out in large numbers.
- Phraseexit poll
a survey of people just after they vote
- 8
Vote share
The candidate polled 48 percent in the final results.
- Patternpoll + percentage
receive that percentage of votes or support
- 9
Server checks
The app polls the server every few seconds for new messages.
- Domainin computing, poll the server
check it regularly for new information
See also
Similar
Shades of meaning
- straw vote
Contrast
Do not confuse
Used with (collocations)
- opinion poll
- public opinion poll
- conduct a poll
- poll results
Word family
Explore
- margin of error
- questionnaire
Forms and spellings
4 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- pollnounverb
Forms
- pollspluralnounverb
- polling-ing formverbnoun
- polledpast tenseverbnoun