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Glite Dictionary
public opinion poll

public opinion poll

17 3.1
A survey that asks a group of people who represent the public about their views on an issue
  • noun
  • /ˈpʌblɪk əˈpɪnjən poʊl/
translation icon : encuesta de opinión
  • A public opinion poll indicates a two-to-one disapproval of the pardoning of Richard Nixon.
  • public opinion polls show
  • recent public opinion polls
  • national public opinion poll

Examples

  • Second, Colombians' disdain for political parties is growing, as documented in public opinion polls.

    Academic text (2000)

  • Recent public opinion polls reveal a curious inconsistency in American attitudes toward the family.

    Academic text (1992)

  • Should that assessment change, public opinion polls might well show even higher levels of U.S. support for Israel.

    Academic text (2008)

  • "It's possible," Nick said, "but I'm more worried about the public opinion polls."

    Fiction book (2001)

  • However, public opinion polls are at least suggestive about which strategies Americans are most likely to support.

    Academic text (2007)

  • Meanwhile, recent public opinion polls have shown widespread approval for some U.S. presence on the isthmus.

    Academic text (1999)

  • Once considered a sure Republican bet, recent public opinion polls suggest the race has tightened considerably.

    Blog text (6)

  • On the eve of the Senate vote, public opinion polls put approval of same-sex marriage at 70 percent.

    Academic text (2013)

  • A recent public opinion poll showed that most citizens support the new environmental regulations.

  • According to the public opinion poll, healthcare is the most important issue for voters this election year.

Synonyms

poll
vspublic opinion poll
∞ 1.6

A survey that asks people their opinion

is a designed survey using representative sampling to reflect the whole public
polling
vspublic opinion poll
178 2.6

Collecting votes or opinions from people, for example during an election

focuses on measuring public views through a representative sample of citizens
opinion poll
vspublic opinion poll
43 2.5

A survey that asks a group of people what they think about a topic

uses a representative sample to measure wider public views on specific issues
exit poll
vspublic opinion poll
  • Literature
38 3.6

A survey of people leaving a polling station asking how they voted

covers public preferences broadly rather than only voters at polling places
straw poll
vspublic opinion poll
18 4.4

A quick not official vote that shows what people think

is a structured representative survey designed to reflect the wider public view
canvass
vspublic opinion poll
17 7.2

A study that asks people what they think about something

measures public opinion via a representative sample rather than active outreach
straw vote
vspublic opinion poll
1 5.5

A quick unofficial vote to see if people support an idea

is a formal survey using representative sampling rather than an informal vote

How Reliable

public opinion poll
17 3.1
straw poll
18 4.4

Surface Forms

public opinion poll singular
public opinion polls plural

Morphology

public + opinion + poll

The phrase’s meaning is directly built from its parts: a 'poll' is a survey, 'opinion' refers to views, and 'public' indicates the general population, yielding 'a survey of the public’s views.' This straightforward noun–noun composition follows common cross‑linguistic patterns, so a B1 learner who knows the constituent words should be able to infer the meaning.

Etymology

The phrase public opinion poll comes from the word poll, which long ago meant 'head' and was used when people were counted. Over time poll came to mean a quick 'survey' of people's 'opinions', so a public opinion poll is a short check of what the public thinks.