blue shift

/ˈbluː.ʃɪft/

noun

An observed phenomenon in which an apparent early Republican lead after the polls close on the night of an election is diminished by the counting of mail-in ballots later in the evening or in the days after Election Day.

Similar
red mirage
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Meanings

nounblue shift (uncountable)
  1. USuncountablegovernmentAn observed phenomenon in which an apparent early Republican lead after the polls close on the night of an election is diminished by the counting of mail-in ballots later in the evening or in the days after Election Day.

    Synonyms: red mirage

  2. alternativeuncountablenatural sciencesAlternative form of blueshift.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounAn observed phenomenon in which an apparent early Republican lead after the polls close on the night of an election is diminished by the counting of mail-in ballots later in the evening or in the days after Election Day.

Similar
red mirage
Also see
red mirage

Origin

From blue + shift, referring to the Democratic Party's political color, in the case of the first sense.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

blue shift. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/blue%20shift

MLA

“blue shift.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/blue%20shift. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “blue shift,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/blue%20shift.

Source: blue shift on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.