campaign
kam-PAYN
/kæmˈpeɪn/
An organized, planned series of activities intended to achieve a specific social, electoral, or political goal.
Implies a strategic, structured effort with defined objectives, timelines, and organized leadership.
The story behind the word. From French 'campagne', from Latin 'campania' (open countryside). Armies left winter quarters to fight in open fields ('campagna') during summer military campaigns, a term later adopted by political candidates.
Word relationships
- drive: Drive is often shorter and focused on collecting things (e.g., blood drive), while campaign is comprehensive and strategic.
- inaction: Inaction describes a lack of organized effort or purposeful strategic operations.
Commonly confused with
- champagne: Champagne is a sparkling wine; campaign is a strategic political or social effort.
Word family
- campaigner (noun): A person who takes part in an organized campaign.
Collocations
- political campaign
- awareness campaign
- launch a campaign
- campaign trail
Idioms & expressions
- on the campaign trail
Example sentences
- "The presidential campaign utilized targeted digital messaging alongside traditional ground rallies." Electoral politics
- "Health authorities launched an aggressive awareness campaign to encourage community vaccination." Public health drive
Memory hook
CAMPAIGN: Taking your political fight out into the open field. Strategic plan to reach a goal.
When not to use
Do not use for random, unplanned, or isolated single actions.
Fun facts
- The military origin of 'campaign' is why political speeches were called 'stump speeches'—candidates stood on tree stumps cleared from open fields.
Also appears in
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