Meaning & use
voting
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“voting” is a form of “vote”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
noununcountable
The act or process of choosing someone or deciding something by marking a paper or raising a hand.
Grammar: Used without 'a' or a plural: voting is important. For one occasion, use the countable noun 'a vote'.
Patterns
- voting in something
- the voting for something
- voting on something
Voting in the national election takes place every four years.
The club changed its rules about voting at the annual meeting.
Online voting has made it easier for members to take part.
noununcountable
The total number of votes given, or the way a particular group of people votes.
Grammar: Often followed by an adverb or phrase showing how or where: voting was heavy in the north.
Patterns
- voting was heavy
- the voting went against someone
- voting patterns
Voting was heavy in the cities but light in the countryside.
Early voting suggests the result will be close.
The party studied voting patterns among young people.
adjectivebefore a noun
Relating to the act of voting or to people who have the right to vote.
Grammar: Comes before a noun and has no comparative form: voting age, voting rights.
Patterns
- voting age
- voting rights
- voting system
The voting age in that country is eighteen.
She campaigned for voting rights for all citizens.
A simple voting system would reduce mistakes at the polling station.
Common combinations
- voting age
- The voting age was lowered to sixteen in that region.
- voting rights
- The law protects the voting rights of every adult citizen.
- voting system
- A fair voting system should be easy to understand.
- voting booth
- She stepped into the voting booth and closed the curtain.
- early voting
- Early voting begins two weeks before election day.
- voting pattern
- Researchers analyzed the voting pattern in rural areas.
Synonyms and how they differ
- election
- An election is the whole event; voting is only the act of marking a choice within it.
- ballot
- A ballot is the paper or the formal process, while voting is the action a person performs.
- poll
- A poll can mean the voting itself or a survey of opinions, so it is less exact than voting.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: voting or vetting?
voting vs vetting
Vetting means checking someone's background; voting means choosing in an election. They sound similar but are unrelated.
Practice
The new law will lower the ___ age to sixteen.
Choose one answer.
The blank comes before the noun 'age', so the -ing form 'voting' is needed as an adjective. 'Vote' would need 'a' or a plural, and 'voted' is a past-tense verb, which cannot modify 'age' here.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “voting”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.