- 1[singular] majority (of somebody/something) the largest part of a group of people or things The majority of people interviewed prefer TV to radio. The majority was in favor of banning smoking . This treatment is not available in the vast majority of hospitals. a majority decision (= one that is decided by what most people want) In the nursing profession, women are in a/the majority. opposite minority see moral majority, silent majority
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- 2[countable] the number of votes by which one political party wins an election; the number of votes by which one side in a discussion, etc. wins She was elected by/with a majority of the electoral votes. a clear (= large) majority majority (over somebody) They had a large majority over their nearest rivals. The Republicans do not have an overall majority (= more members than all the other parties added together). The resolution was carried by a huge majority. 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
- 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
- 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
- 3[countable] the difference between the number of votes given to the candidate who wins the election and the total number of votes of all the other candidates see plurality
- 4[uncountable] (law) the age at which you are legally considered to be an adult The age of majority in the United States is determined by the states, but it is usually 18.
Check pronunciation: majority