campaign

UK: /ˌkæmˈpeɪn/ US: /kæmˈpeɪn/ ,(kam pān′)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

cam•paign /kæmˈpeɪn/   n. [countable]

1. Military a series of military operations for a specific goal, esp. as part of a war:
   the European campaign.
2. a course of planned activities designed for some specific purpose: a sales campaign.

v. 

3. to serve in or go on a campaign: [no object]
   She campaigned all year long.
   [~ + for + object]
   He was campaigning for governor.
   [~ + to + verb]
   They campaigned to get tougher laws.

cam•paign•er, n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

cam•paign  (kam pān′), n. 

1. Military
   • Military military operations for a specific objective.
   • [Obs.] the military operations of an army in the field for one season.
2. a systematic course of aggressive activities for some specific purpose:
   a sales campaign.
3. Government the competition by rival political candidates and organizations for public office.

v.i. 

4. to serve in or go on a campaign:
   He planned to campaign for the candidate. He campaigned in France.

v.t. 

5. Sport to race (a horse, boat, car, etc.) in a number or series of competitions.

• Late Latin campānia level district, equivalent. to Latin camp(us) field + -ān(us) -an + -ia -ia
• Italian campagna
• French campagne
• 1620–30

cam•paign′er, n. 
Synonyms

• 2. drive, effort, push, offensive.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

campaign / kæmˈpeɪn/ noun

1. a series of coordinated activities, such as public speaking and demonstrating, designed to achieve a social, political, or commercial goal: a presidential campaign, an advertising campaign
2. a number of complementary operations aimed at achieving a single objective, usually constrained by time or geographic area

verb

1. (intransitive) often followed by for: to conduct, serve in, or go on a campaign

Etymology: 17th Century: from French campagne open country, from Italian campagna, from Late Latin campānia, from Latin campus field

camˈpaigner noun