Canvas vs. Canvass: What's the Difference?
Canvas and canvass are homophones that often cause confusion, but they have distinct meanings and uses. Canvas is a durable fabric used for making sails, tents, paintings, and other items. Canvass, on the other hand, refers to the act of soliciting votes or opinions, or to conduct a survey.
How do you use the word canvas in a sentence?
The word canvas is typically used as a noun to describe a heavy woven cloth of cotton, linen, or similar material. Artists often use canvas as a surface for painting, and sailors might refer to the sails of a ship as canvas. It can also be mentioned in the context of materials used for outdoor gear and coverings.
Examples of canvas in a sentence
- She stretched the canvas across the wooden frame before she started painting.
- The campers protected their site with a large, waterproof canvas.
- Historic ships often had sails made of sturdy canvas.
How do you use the word canvass in a sentence?
Canvass is predominantly employed as a verb and it's associated with the act of requesting information, opinions, or votes from people. It is often used in political contexts, where candidates or their representatives canvass to gain support ahead of an election. It can also refer more generally to the act of surveying or soliciting feedback on a topic.
Examples of canvass in a sentence
- The volunteers went out to canvass the neighborhood, encouraging residents to vote.
- Before launching the new product, the company decided to canvass potential customers for their opinions.
- As part of her research, the graduate student needed to canvass various sources for information.
Canvas and canvass definition, parts of speech, and pronunciation
Canvas definition:
Canvas is a noun that refers to a strong, heavy cloth made from hemp, flax, cotton, or a similar yarn, used to make things such as sails, tents, and for painting.
Canvas parts of speech:
Canvas pronunciation:
Canvas is pronounced as /ˈkænvəs/.
Canvass definition:
Canvass is a verb that means to seek people’s votes or opinions or to conduct a survey.
Canvass parts of speech:
Canvass pronunciation:
Canvass is pronounced as /ˈkænvəs/, identical to canvas.
Canvas is a noun that refers to a strong, heavy cloth made from hemp, flax, cotton, or a similar yarn, used to make things such as sails, tents, and for painting.
Canvas parts of speech:
- As a noun: The artist bought a roll of canvas for her next series of paintings.
Canvas pronunciation:
Canvas is pronounced as /ˈkænvəs/.
Canvass definition:
Canvass is a verb that means to seek people’s votes or opinions or to conduct a survey.
Canvass parts of speech:
- As a verb: They plan to canvass all the local pubs to find the best burger in town.
Canvass pronunciation:
Canvass is pronounced as /ˈkænvəs/, identical to canvas.
Canvas vs. canvass in a nutshell
While canvas and canvass sound the same, they serve different lexical functions. Canvas refers to a robust fabric used for art, clothing, and shelter. Canvass means to actively seek votes or opinions, often associated with political campaigning. Remembering the extra 's' in canvass can help you recall its connection to soliciting responses.
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