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Definition of referendum noun from the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary

 

referendum

 noun
noun
NAmE//ˌrɛfəˈrɛndəm//
 
(pl. referendums or referenda
NAmE//ˌrɛfəˈrɛndə//
 
)
[countable, uncountable] referendum (on something)
 
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an occasion when all the people of a country or state can vote on an important issue Switzerland decided to hold a referendum on joining the EU. The changes were approved by referendum. Topic CollocationsVoting in Electionsrunning for election
  • conduct/hold an election/a referendum
  • run for office/election/governor/mayor/president/the White House
  • enter/run in/withdraw from the primary/Senate/gubernatorial race
  • represent the Democrats/the Republican Party
  • hold/contest a local/mid-term/primary/national election
  • launch/run a presidential (election) campaign
  • support/back a candidate
  • sway/convince/persuade voters/the electorate
  • appeal to/attract/woo/target/pander to swing voters
  • fix/rig/steal an election/the vote
voting
  • go to/be turned away from a polling place/station
  • cast a/your vote/ballot (for somebody)
  • vote for the Republican candidate/the Democratic ticket
  • mark/spoil your ballot paper
  • count the early/absentee ballots
  • go to/be defeated at the ballot box
  • get/win/receive/lose votes
  • get/win (60% of) the popular/black/Hispanic/Latino vote
  • win power/the election/the primary/a senate seat/a majority
  • lose an election/the vote/your majority/your seat
  • win/come to power in a landslide (victory) (= with many more votes than any other party)
  • elect/reelect somebody (as) mayor/president/congressman/congresswoman/a Senator/a Representative
taking power
  • be sworn into office/in as president
  • take/administer the oath of office
  • give/deliver the inaugural address
  • take/enter/hold/leave office
  • appoint somebody (as) ambassador/governor/minister/a federal judge/a Supreme Court justice
  • form a government/a cabinet
  • serve two terms as president/in office
  • ⇨ more collocations at economy, politics
Thesauruselection
  • vote
  • referendum
  • ballot
These are all words for an event in which people choose a representative or decide something by voting.
  • election an occasion on which people officially choose a political representative or government by voting:Whom did you vote for in the last election?
  • vote an occasion on which a group of people vote for someone or something:They took a vote on who should go first.
  • referendum an occasion on which all the adults in a district can vote on a particular issue
  • ballot the system of voting by marking an election paper, especially in secret; an occasion on which a vote is held:The leader will be chosen by secret ballot. Ballot is usually used about a vote within an organization rather than an occasion on which the public vote.
Patterns
  • a national/local election/vote/referendum/ballot
  • to have/hold/conduct a(n) election/vote/referendum/ballot
See referendum in the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary