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a vote of no confidence

a formal sign of lost trust in a leader

In Headline Expressions

In more detail

1. (expression) an official vote in which a group of people (such as lawmakers or members of an organization) express that they no longer support or trust a leader, especially a government official; the result is often that the leader must resign or be removed from power

Examples

• 1. The parliament passed a vote of no confidence against the prime minister, forcing her to step down.

How to use a vote of no confidence

A vote of no confidence is a formal parliamentary or organizational procedure expressing collective loss of trust in a leader. It is most commonly used in political contexts involving governments or legislatures, though it can apply to corporate boards or other institutional settings. The procedure typically triggers resignation or removal.

Register: formal

Common phrases

• pass a vote of no confidence
• table a vote of no confidence
• call for a vote of no confidence
• survive a vote of no confidence
• face a vote of no confidence

Synonyms

vote of censure · motion of no confidence · no-confidence vote · censure vote

A common mistake

Learners sometimes treat it as interchangeable with 'disapproval' or 'criticism' generally, when it is specifically a formal, recorded institutional vote with potential consequences.

Nearby in Headline Expressions

the jury is still out, fly under the radar, blindsided, all bets are off, go back to square one

Keep going

How to remember the words you read · Spaced repetition, explained