Meanings
plural midterm elections · alternative midterm · alternative midterms · alternative midterm elections
- USgovernmentA general election for all the representatives and one-third of the senators in Congress in a year without a presidential election as well.
In the United States, general elections occur in even-numbered years, with the quadrennial presidential elections distinguished from the midterm elections between them.
1 more example
Most of the rational world[…] foresaw a smooth ride to victory for Democrats. They had, after all, the wind at their backs from the 2006 midterm elections.
2008 April 23, Amy Sullivan, “A Primary with No End”, in Time, retrieved 03 Jul 2015
Origin
From its occurrence roughly halfway through a president's usual term of office.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
midterm election. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/midterm%20election
“midterm election.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/midterm%20election. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “midterm election,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/midterm%20election.
Source: midterm election on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.