WordGarden.ioreelect
B2Pronunciation
UK
US
- /riɪˈlɛkt/
Meanings
Verb
to elect someone to the same public office again
Beyond the definition
Imagine your class needs a president. If Sarah does a great job leading this year, her classmates might reelect her, meaning they choose her to be president again. It is about giving someone another term in a job that people vote for. It often happens when a person is already in office and people want that person to stay. Think of it as saying, "Let's keep this person for one more term!"
The word is made up of "re-", meaning again, and "elect", which means to choose by vote. So reelect literally means to elect someone again. You might hear about a mayor hoping to be reelected after a first term, or a school board member asking voters for another term.
To reelect someone is to vote them into office for an additional term after they have already served. It is specifically used in the context of formal elections and official positions—while you might informally "pick" a friend to lead a casual game, you reelect a mayor, a governor, or a board member.
The act of reelection is often tied to performance and public opinion. If an incumbent (the current officeholder) has been successful and popular, they are more likely to be reelected. Campaigns for reelection usually focus on highlighting past achievements and promising continued progress.
You will frequently see "reelection" used in news headlines, such as "The Governor seeks reelection after a successful term," or "The Senator faces a tough fight for reelection." It implies a continuation of existing policies and leadership, but also acknowledges that the voters still have a choice to make.
Sometimes, you might hear about a "landslide reelection"—meaning the candidate won by a huge margin. Other times, it can be a close race where every vote counts! Regardless, reelection is all about giving an elected official another opportunity to serve.
Examples
- 1
Election
Voters reelected the mayor for a second term.
- 2
Scandal
Despite the scandal, she was reelected by a narrow margin.
- 3
Party leadership
Party members reelected him as leader after a year of strong support.
- Patternreelect someone as + role
choose them again for the same role
- 4
Board leadership
At the annual meeting, the board reelected Chen as chair for another year.
See also
Forms and spellings
4 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- reelectverb
Forms
- reelectedpast tenseverb
- reelecting-ing formverb
- reelectsverb