Political Campaign Terms

verb to struggle in opposition or against difficulties; to strive in rivalry; to assert or maintain earnestly

• The two candidates will contend for the position of mayor in the upcoming election.
• The teams will have to contend for the championship title in the final match.
• I heard those two are going to contend for the last piece of pizza.
• She had to contend for her place in the male-dominated industry.

verb to have been beaten in a battle, game, or other competition

adjective having been beaten in a battle, game, or other competition

• The candidate was defeated in the election by a narrow margin.
• Our team got defeated in the final match, but we played well.
• Man, we got totally defeated in that game last night.
• Despite the setbacks, she refused to be defeated by the challenges she faced.

noun a person or thing that is regarded with approval, goodwill, or liking

preposition a word governing, and usually preceding, a noun or pronoun and expressing a relation to another word or element in the clause

• The company was able to gain favor with the investors after presenting their impressive financial statements.
• I hope I can gain favor with my boss by finishing this project ahead of schedule.
• If you want to get that promotion, you've got to butter up the boss and get in their favor.
• The artist's unique style has gained favor with art collectors around the world.

verb to fail to keep a promise or agreement

preposition indicating a return to a previous position or condition

• It is not ethical to go back on your promise.
• Don't go back on your word, it's not cool.
• Dude, you can't just go back on your deal like that.
• Once you go back on your values, it's hard to regain trust.

verb past tense of the verb 'fight', indicating that a battle or competition occurred

adjective describing the level of intensity or effort put into a fight or competition

adverb modifying the verb 'fought' to indicate the manner in which the fighting occurred

• The team emerged victorious after a hard-fought battle on the field.
• It was a hard-fought match, but we managed to come out on top.
• That game was so intense, it was a real hard-fought showdown.
• Their relationship was a hard-fought journey, but they eventually found common ground.

noun the notice or attention given to someone or something by the media or the public

adjective relating to or designed to gain public attention or notice

• The company hired a PR firm to handle their publicity.
• She's always seeking publicity for her new business.
• He's trying to get some free publicity by posting on social media.
• The scandal brought a lot of negative publicity to the organization.

noun a campaign or competition for a particular position or honor

preposition indicating the purpose or goal of running

• She decided to run for mayor in the upcoming election.
• I heard that Sarah is going to run for student council president.
• I'm thinking about running for class treasurer.
• After the argument, John had to run for cover to avoid further conflict.

noun a long, exhausting march or journey

verb to work hard and steadily

• The team had to slog through the data analysis in order to find meaningful results.
• I had to slog through all my homework before I could go out with my friends.
• I really don't want to slog through that boring meeting tomorrow.
• She felt like she was slogging through quicksand as she tried to finish her project on time.

adjective describing the manner in which something is done with great effort or energy

adverb in a way that involves a lot of effort or energy

• The lawyer strenuously argued his case in front of the judge.
• She strenuously defended her friend during the argument.
• I'm gonna have to strenuously work out if I want to fit into those jeans.
• The artist's brush moved strenuously across the canvas, creating a masterpiece.

verb to remove from a position of power or authority

• The incumbent candidate was unseated in the recent election.
• They managed to unseat the reigning champion in the final round.
• I can't believe they unseated the top dog in the competition.
• The new evidence unseated the previously held belief.

adjective describing a person or behavior that is deliberately cruel or violent

• The vicious attack on the victim was captured on surveillance footage.
• That dog is so vicious, I wouldn't want to go near it.
• The gossip spreading about her was absolutely vicious.
• The competition in the business world can be vicious at times.

verb competing eagerly with someone in order to achieve or do something

• The two candidates are vying for the position of mayor in the upcoming election.
• The siblings are vying for their parents' attention by showing off their achievements.
• The teams are vying for the championship title in a fierce competition.
• The companies are vying for market dominance by launching new and innovative products.

noun the act of seeking the affection or love of someone, especially with the intention of marriage

verb to seek the affection or love of someone, especially with the intention of marriage

• The businessman spent months wooing potential investors for his latest project.
• He's been wooing her with flowers and chocolates to win her over.
• He's really good at wooing the ladies, always knows the right things to say.
• The politician is skilled at wooing voters with promises of change and progress.

noun a word that represents a person, place, thing, or idea

adjective a word that describes or modifies a noun or pronoun

• The empty podium stood as a stark reminder of the candidate's absence at the debate.
• Why is there an empty podium on stage? Did someone forget to show up?
• Yo, check out that empty podium - looks like someone bailed on their speech.
• The empty podium symbolized the lack of leadership in the organization.

noun a puppet made from a sock, often used in puppet shows or as a toy

• The company was accused of using sock puppets to manipulate online reviews.
• I can't believe someone would create a sock puppet account just to argue with themselves on social media.
• Stop being a sock puppet and speak for yourself!
• The politician's spokesperson was essentially a sock puppet, just repeating the same scripted answers.

noun a person who engages in a competition or contest

adjective relating to or characteristic of a challenger

• The challenger presented a well-researched argument during the debate.
• The challenger really gave it their all in the competition.
• That challenger is really bringing their A-game.
• The challenger faced many obstacles on their journey to success.

noun a group of people hired to applaud or heckle a performer or public speaker

verb to hire people to applaud or heckle

• The theater director hired a claque to applaud during the performance.
• The singer paid a claque to cheer for her at the concert.
• The politician's supporters acted like a claque at the rally.
• The group of fans formed a claque to show their support for the team.

verb to support or root for someone or something

preposition used to indicate support or favor towards someone or something

• I always pull for the underdog in any competition.
• I'm really pulling for my favorite team to win the game tonight.
• I'm pulling for you to ace that test tomorrow!
• I can't help but pull for her to succeed in her new job.

noun a person, place, thing, or idea

adverb modifies a verb, adjective, or other adverb and typically answers the questions how, when, where, or to what extent

preposition a word governing, and usually preceding, a noun or pronoun and expressing a relation to another word or element in the clause

• The company's revenue exceeded their competitors by a country mile.
• She won the race by a country mile, leaving everyone else far behind.
• That new restaurant is the best in town by a country mile.
• His dedication to his craft surpasses others by a country mile.