Word
referendum
Phoneticsref·er·en·dum, stress on the third syllable
US/ˌɹɛfɝˈɛndəm/
UK/ɹˌɛfəɹˈɛndəm/
Definitions
01a direct vote
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Law Formal
n. a vote where all citizens can say 'yes' or 'no' to a specific plan or law.
n. a direct and universal vote in which an entire electorate is invited to vote on a particular proposal. The plural can be either 'referendums' or 'referenda'.
“The government decided to hold a referendum to see if people wanted to join the trade union.”
“The constitutional amendment was eventually ratified following a nationwide referendum that saw a record-breaking turnout of young voters.”
Usage
The plural 'referendums' is more common in modern English than the Latin 'referenda'.
Synonyms
02a public judgment
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Politics Academic
n. an event or choice that shows what most people think about a leader or a situation.
n. an event, action, or election result perceived as a collective judgment on a specific person, policy, or performance.
“Many people saw the local election as a referendum on the president's new tax plan.”
“Political analysts interpreted the sudden drop in consumer spending as a silent referendum on the administration's failing economic policies.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “referendum” in context.
Verb
01. call a referendum
“The Prime Minister was under pressure to call a referendum on the new trade agreement.”
verb + noun
02. hold a referendum
“The government decided to hold a referendum to let the public decide on the constitutional amendment.”
verb + noun
03. put the issue to a referendum
“Instead of deciding in parliament, they chose to put the issue to a referendum.”
verb + noun + prep + noun
Adjective
04. legally binding referendum
“The opposition argued that a legally binding referendum was necessary to ensure the result was respected.”
adv + adj + noun
05. nationwide referendum
“The proposal was rejected by a narrow margin in the nationwide referendum.”
adj + noun
Noun
06. outcome of the referendum
“The outcome of the referendum led to significant changes in the country's foreign policy.”
noun + of + noun
07. referendum result
“Economists are still analyzing the long-term impact of the referendum result on the market.”
noun + noun
Preposition
08. in a referendum
“The citizens voted in a referendum to determine whether the region should become independent.”
prep + noun
Real-World Examples
“St-Pierre Plamondon affirmed that he intended to seek an independence referendum should his party win this year.” “The election was seen as a referendum on his economic record, which has boasted debt restructuring, currency strengthening and lowered inflation.” Etymology
From Latin referendum (“that which ought to be announced”), from refero (“to announce”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/referendum