general election

noun

: an election usually held at regular intervals in which candidates are elected in all or most constituencies of a nation or state

Examples of general election in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Shifting emphasis moving into the general election A number of Republicans have removed or downplayed references to Trump from their websites after winning their primaries. — Steve Peoples, Fortune, 28 Aug. 2026 Thursday’s event was the first general election debate between the two candidates. — Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 28 Aug. 2026 Kiros is favored to win the general election in the heavily Democratic district. — Joanna Ossinger, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026 Against this backdrop, Semilla became a political party about 2018 and participated in its first general election the following year. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for general election

Word History

First Known Use

1640, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of general election was in 1640

Rhymes for general election

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Browse Nearby Words

general education
general election
general endorsement
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Cite this Entry

“General election.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/general%20election. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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general election

noun
: an election usually held at regular intervals in which candidates are elected in all or most constituencies of a nation or state

More from Merriam-Webster on general election

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about general election

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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