MEANING
1. To approach people systematically for their opinions, votes, or support.
2. To discuss or examine an issue or possible options thoroughly.
Use it for
Words that belong together
- canvass voters
- canvass opinion
On the page
The researchers canvassed local residents before designing the survey.
Nearby words
Word forms
- Base
- canvass
- Past tense
- canvassed
- Past participle
- canvassed
- Present participle
- canvassing
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- canvass
- Present continuous
- am/is/are canvassing
- Present perfect
- have/has canvassed
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been canvassing
- Past
- canvassed
- Past continuous
- was/were canvassing
- Past perfect
- had canvassed
- Past perfect continuous
- had been canvassing
- Future
- will canvass
- Future continuous
- will be canvassing
- Future perfect
- will have canvassed
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been canvassing
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
Usage notes
Primary category: academic / formal. Forms: canvass; canvasses; canvassed; canvassed; canvassing Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Established modern English lexical item. No separate regional spelling or grammatical inflection entry. Writing functions: analysis, explanation. Commonness: moderately common. Third-person singular: canvasses.
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
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