universal suffrage

noun

: the right of all adult citizens to vote in an election

Examples of universal suffrage in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Of the 250 years since the country’s founding, less than a quarter unfolded under the aegis of universal suffrage. — Vann R. Newkirk Ii, The Atlantic, 2 May 2026 The protests broadened to include calls for greater democracy, universal suffrage, and protection of civil liberties. — Peter Leyden, Big Think, 7 Oct. 2025 The story of Frederick Douglass’s fight for universal suffrage from the Civil War to the rise of Jim Crow. — Kyana Moghadam, NPR, 10 Mar. 2026 The party was then pushed further to the sidelines by the emergence of a new generation of pro-democracy leaders and student activists during months-long protests for universal suffrage in 2014. — Chris Lau, CNN Money, 19 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for universal suffrage

Cite this Entry

Style

“Universal suffrage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/universal%20suffrage. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

universal suffrage

noun

Examples of universal suffrage in a Sentence

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

perfunctory

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Popular in Wordplay

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes