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
On the heels of a redistricting referendum, a Georgia congressman proposed a bill to return parts of Northern Virginia to the District.
—
Sophia Solano, Washington Post, 24 Apr. 2026
The court was set to review the legality of the referendum in the coming weeks.
—James Powel, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2026
Democrats are on track to gain 10 seats nationally through redistricting compared with Republicans’ nine — though the final outcome of a court battle in Virginia over the referendum’s validity could move Democrats back to six.
—Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 23 Apr. 2026
Proponents argue that Congress never had the power to cede back the land and that the local referendum failed to meet the voting requirements outlined by Congress for retrocession.
—Jesse Bedayn, Twin Cities, 23 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for referendum
Sophia Solano, Washington Post, 24 Apr. 2026
The court was set to review the legality of the referendum in the coming weeks.
—James Powel, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2026
Democrats are on track to gain 10 seats nationally through redistricting compared with Republicans’ nine — though the final outcome of a court battle in Virginia over the referendum’s validity could move Democrats back to six.
—Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 23 Apr. 2026
Proponents argue that Congress never had the power to cede back the land and that the local referendum failed to meet the voting requirements outlined by Congress for retrocession.
—Jesse Bedayn, Twin Cities, 23 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for referendum
Recent Examples of Synonyms for referendum
Noun
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Nothing can be finalized until at least 23 of the league’s 30 owners vote at next month’s Board of Governors meeting, and tweaks to the various proposals are still expected to be made along the way.—
Sam Amick,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
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The Tampa Bay Rays are still striving for a Hillsborough County stadium vote in May, the team informed the county late last week.—
Nicolas Villamil,
The Orlando Sentinel,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
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However, due to the Passover holiday this month, the deadline for mail-in-ballots was extended to April 28.—
Helen Acevedo,
Miami Herald,
30 Apr. 2026
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Nearly four years after San Diegans voted for a ballot measure to help address the city’s shortage of available child care, the dream is still far from being realized.—
Maura Fox,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Referendum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/referendum. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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