# vote down

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/vote-down
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To defeat (some measure or candidate) by a majority vote.

## Examples

- The council voted down the new parking fees.
- The proposal seemed popular at first, but the committee voted it down after hearing public concerns.
- Despite months of lobbying by the opposition, the legislature voted down the controversial bill by a narrow margin, preserving the status quo for another year.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.