Sound-alike words
Canvas vs. Canvass
Canvas is a noun for a strong, heavy cloth, used for tents, bags and paintings. Canvass is a verb that means to go around asking people for votes, opinions or support. Artists paint on canvas; volunteers canvass a neighborhood.
| Word | Part of speech | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| canvas | noun | a strong, heavy cloth used for tents, sails, shoes and bags |
| noun | a piece of this cloth prepared for painting, or a painting made on it | |
| canvass | verb | to go from person to person asking for support, opinions, votes or information |
| noun | an act of going around asking people for their opinions or support |
Canvas
noun: a strong, heavy cloth used for tents, sails, shoes and bags
- We packed lunch in a sturdy canvas bag.
- The old tent was made of thick green canvas.
noun: a piece of this cloth prepared for painting, or a painting made on it
- Maya stretched a new canvas before starting her landscape.
- The museum's largest canvas covers an entire wall.
Canvass
verb: to go from person to person asking for support, opinions, votes or information
- Volunteers canvassed the neighborhood for donations to the food bank.
- The company canvassed its customers about the new store hours.
noun: an act of going around asking people for their opinions or support
- A door-to-door canvass showed strong support for the new park.
- The club's canvass of members found most wanted evening meetings.
How to remember the difference
Canvass has an extra s for the extra steps you walk, going door to door. Canvas, with one s, is simply the cloth.
Good to know
In elections, canvass also means to officially count and check the votes. The plural of canvas is canvases, while the verb canvass becomes canvassed and canvassing.
Spot the mistake
Students will
canvascanvass the town to collect used books for the library.Correct: Students will canvass the town to collect used books for the library.
He bought a pair of white
canvasscanvas sneakers for summer.Correct: He bought a pair of white canvas sneakers for summer.
Check yourself
Pick the word that fits each sentence.
1. The painter covered the with bright blue strokes.
Answer: canvas. The word names the cloth an artist paints on, so it is canvas.
2. Our club plans to local shops for raffle prizes.
Answer: canvass. The meaning is to go around asking people for support, so it is canvass.