1
: carefully selected : chosen
2
: chosen for salvation through divine mercy
3
a
: chosen for office or position but not yet installed
the president-elect
b
: chosen for marriage at some future time
the bride-elect
plural elect
1
: one chosen or set apart (as by divine favor)
2
elects plural
: a select or exclusive group of people
elected; electing; elects
1
: to select by vote for an office, position, or membership
elected her class president
2
: to make a selection of
will elect an academic program
3
: to choose (something, such as a course of action) especially by preference
might elect to sell the business
: to make a selection
Synonyms
Adjective
Noun
- A-list
- aristocracy
- best
- choice
- corps d'elite
- cream
- crème de la crème
- elite
- fat
- flower
- illuminati
- pick
- pink
- pride
- priesthood
- prime
- royalty
- upper crust
Verb
Examples of elect in a Sentence
Adjective
this elect body of students represents the best that the nation's high schools have to offer
Noun
the members of this all-American team are the elect of collegiate football
Verb
He hopes to be elected to the committee.
I've elected to study French as my foreign language.
Recent Examples on the Web
Keith Kloor, Discover Magazine, 19 Aug. 2011
But, proving that ticket-splitting is alive and well in New Hampshire, four out of five voters also opted to re-elect Republican Gov. Chris Sununu.
—Katie McInerney, BostonGlobe.com, 9 Nov. 2022
The National Rifle Association’s board of directors voted Monday to re-elect longtime CEO Wayne LaPierre, signaling that the gun rights group isn’t changing direction despite a rise in mass shootings and its own internal turmoil.
—David Ingram, NBC News, 30 May 2022
The illusion of complete normality could prompt people to spend more and re-elect current politicians for office.
—Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes, 9 Apr. 2022
In some cases, those who are vaccinated but elect to not receive a booster would be subjected to game-day testing again starting Dec. 1, the NBA said.
—Tim Reynolds, ajc, 7 Nov. 2021
Voters chose to re-elect incumbents Daniel Ursu and Juanita Lewis.
—cleveland, 4 Nov. 2021
And it’s one of those moments when any leader expecting to slide into re-elect mode as early as November of next year starts to get worried.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 26 Aug. 2021
Mike Cason | McAson@al.com, al, 14 Aug. 2023
Not every player named an All-Star elects to or is able to participate, so Estévez’s other chance might be a selection as a replacement.
—Sarah Valenzuela, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2023
Shopping at Monterey Market means living right by living well, being among the good-values elect.
—Daniel Duane, New York Times, 30 May 2023
With such concerns in mind, GrowSF, an advocacy group started in 2020 by two software engineers who left tech jobs to launch it, focuses on public safety and helping elect officials who will crack down on things like property crime and open-air drug bazaars.
—Olga R. Rodriguez, Fortune, 28 Apr. 2023
As ever, the vast majority elect to donate the full sum to the cause in question.
—Condé Nast, Vogue, 14 Mar. 2023
Where the profession of artist is obviated—save for the elect few—because the product is ultimately privileged over the person.
—Vivian Lam, WIRED, 24 Feb. 2023
Many injuries and few match opportunities have left the expensive winger frozen out at the La Liga champion elect.
—Henry Flynn, Forbes, 21 Apr. 2022
What’s clear enough is that Tár is a member of the cultural elect.
—Becca Rothfeld, Vulture, 31 Jan. 2023
Andrew Sheeler, Sacramento Bee, 16 Apr. 2024
Jefferson Siegel/The New York Times/Bloomberg via Getty Images At the heart of this case is a payment made days before Trump was elected president in 2016.
—Graham Kates, CBS News, 15 Apr. 2024
If Trump were elected president again, the chief executive could order the federal prosecutions be dropped.
—David G. Savage, Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2024
At Saturday’s event, the group of attendees also had to elect a convention chair and secretary, as well as a central committee.
—Brianne Pfannenstiel, USA TODAY, 14 Apr. 2024
Around the same time in 1995, he was first elected to the local council of St.-Ouen.
—Catherine Porter, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2024
But then Mayor Tyrone Garner, elected in 2021, blocked the project for several months, citing concerns about downtown losing its larger conference space.
—Bill Lukitsch, Kansas City Star, 12 Apr. 2024
Trump, Biden have clear differences Trump campaigned in 2016 with the promise to overturn Roe v. Wade and, once elected, nominated three conservative justices to the U.S. Supreme Court.
—Jessica Van Egeren, Journal Sentinel, 12 Apr. 2024
The 73-year-old was first elected prime minister in 2014 with a roaring majority on a ticket of development and anti-corruption.
—Helen Regan, CNN, 12 Apr. 2024
Adjective
And a little more than half the country will call him crazy and re-elect President Obama.
—Keith Kloor, Discover Magazine, 19 Aug. 2011
But, proving that ticket-splitting is alive and well in New Hampshire, four out of five voters also opted to re-elect Republican Gov. Chris Sununu.
—Katie McInerney, BostonGlobe.com, 9 Nov. 2022
The National Rifle Association’s board of directors voted Monday to re-elect longtime CEO Wayne LaPierre, signaling that the gun rights group isn’t changing direction despite a rise in mass shootings and its own internal turmoil.
—David Ingram, NBC News, 30 May 2022
The illusion of complete normality could prompt people to spend more and re-elect current politicians for office.
—Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes, 9 Apr. 2022
In some cases, those who are vaccinated but elect to not receive a booster would be subjected to game-day testing again starting Dec. 1, the NBA said.
—Tim Reynolds, ajc, 7 Nov. 2021
Voters chose to re-elect incumbents Daniel Ursu and Juanita Lewis.
—cleveland, 4 Nov. 2021
And it’s one of those moments when any leader expecting to slide into re-elect mode as early as November of next year starts to get worried.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 26 Aug. 2021
Noun
Ross said the key issue is whether the new map creates a second district where Black voters would have an opportunity elect a candidate of their choice, as instructed by the court.
—Mike Cason | McAson@al.com, al, 14 Aug. 2023
Not every player named an All-Star elects to or is able to participate, so Estévez’s other chance might be a selection as a replacement.
—Sarah Valenzuela, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2023
Shopping at Monterey Market means living right by living well, being among the good-values elect.
—Daniel Duane, New York Times, 30 May 2023
With such concerns in mind, GrowSF, an advocacy group started in 2020 by two software engineers who left tech jobs to launch it, focuses on public safety and helping elect officials who will crack down on things like property crime and open-air drug bazaars.
—Olga R. Rodriguez, Fortune, 28 Apr. 2023
As ever, the vast majority elect to donate the full sum to the cause in question.
—Condé Nast, Vogue, 14 Mar. 2023
Where the profession of artist is obviated—save for the elect few—because the product is ultimately privileged over the person.
—Vivian Lam, WIRED, 24 Feb. 2023
Many injuries and few match opportunities have left the expensive winger frozen out at the La Liga champion elect.
—Henry Flynn, Forbes, 21 Apr. 2022
What’s clear enough is that Tár is a member of the cultural elect.
—Becca Rothfeld, Vulture, 31 Jan. 2023
Verb
Bradford, who first was elected to the Senate in 2016, also served in the Assembly from 2009 to 2014.
—Andrew Sheeler, Sacramento Bee, 16 Apr. 2024
Jefferson Siegel/The New York Times/Bloomberg via Getty Images At the heart of this case is a payment made days before Trump was elected president in 2016.
—Graham Kates, CBS News, 15 Apr. 2024
If Trump were elected president again, the chief executive could order the federal prosecutions be dropped.
—David G. Savage, Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2024
At Saturday’s event, the group of attendees also had to elect a convention chair and secretary, as well as a central committee.
—Brianne Pfannenstiel, USA TODAY, 14 Apr. 2024
Around the same time in 1995, he was first elected to the local council of St.-Ouen.
—Catherine Porter, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2024
But then Mayor Tyrone Garner, elected in 2021, blocked the project for several months, citing concerns about downtown losing its larger conference space.
—Bill Lukitsch, Kansas City Star, 12 Apr. 2024
Trump, Biden have clear differences Trump campaigned in 2016 with the promise to overturn Roe v. Wade and, once elected, nominated three conservative justices to the U.S. Supreme Court.
—Jessica Van Egeren, Journal Sentinel, 12 Apr. 2024
The 73-year-old was first elected prime minister in 2014 with a roaring majority on a ticket of development and anti-corruption.
—Helen Regan, CNN, 12 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'elect.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Elect.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/elect. Accessed 20 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
elect
1 of 3 adjective1
: carefully selected
2
: chosen for office but not yet holding office
president-elect
elect
2 of 3 noun plural
: a carefully chosen group
—used with the
elect
3 of 3 verb1
: to select by vote for an office, position, or membership
elect a senator
2
: select entry 1, choose
we elected to stay home
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