as in vote
an event in which the electorate votes for or against a law that deals with a specific issue
They are having a referendum so the public can decide the controversial issue.
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Recent Examples of referendum
Some commenters on Ezra’s posts view his feed as a referendum on who is and isn’t a real New Yorker.
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David Kamp,
New Yorker,
29 June 2026
The previous year Demings had pushed for a sales-tax referendum to fund transportation projects.
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Mike Thomas,
The Orlando Sentinel,
28 June 2026
The deal averts a ballot referendum that backers from the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association said would’ve reigned in expansive local real estate taxes.
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Stephen Hobbs,
Sacbee.com,
26 June 2026
Interviewees include former Prime Minister, David Cameron, whose surprise 2015 election victory forced him to make good on his pledge to hold a referendum on EU membership.
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Stewart Clarke,
Deadline,
26 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for referendum
David Kamp,
New Yorker,
29 June 2026
The previous year Demings had pushed for a sales-tax referendum to fund transportation projects.
—
Mike Thomas,
The Orlando Sentinel,
28 June 2026
The deal averts a ballot referendum that backers from the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association said would’ve reigned in expansive local real estate taxes.
—
Stephen Hobbs,
Sacbee.com,
26 June 2026
Interviewees include former Prime Minister, David Cameron, whose surprise 2015 election victory forced him to make good on his pledge to hold a referendum on EU membership.
—
Stewart Clarke,
Deadline,
26 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for referendum
Recent Examples of Synonyms for referendum
Noun
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The bomb-throwing influencer Kat Abughazaleh, 27, won the portions of that district in Chicago’s North Side lakefront neighborhoods, but suburban votes gave savvy Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss the win.
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Sanchez, boosted by voters from Peru’s rural regions, led the race earlier in the count and also won votes cast within the country by a slim margin.
Noun
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In California, where most voters mail their ballots, that lag time can be up to a week.
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The assemblies are one way for the party to decide who makes it onto the primary ballot.
Cite this Entry
“Referendum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/referendum. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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