poor turnout

USAGE SUMMARY

"poor turnout" is a perfectly fine phrase to use in written English.
It is defined as "a small number of people who come to an event." For example: "The poor turnout at the town meeting made it clear that there was little interest in the proposed changes."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

Jewish community leaders blamed the rain for the poor turnout.

The New York Times

Perhaps, that is the explanation for the unusually poor turnout.

The Guardian - Opinion

Poor turnout could mean that voters are less enchanted by this year's crop of candidates.

The New York Times

Poor turnout has dulled the impact of the state's Hispanic population at the ballot box.

The New York Times

Much of the blame for the poor turnout fell on Mr Lindner.

The Economist

"Labour tellers are leaving polling stations after seeing a poor turnout from their voters.

The Guardian

He attributed the Strong Voice slate's loss to a poor turnout by minority voters.

The New York Times

What? — wasn't solely responsible for the poor turnout at her Highline Ballroom show.

The New York Times - Arts

The night before, Hamid, a nationalist-secular friend of mine, had predicted a poor turnout.

The New Yorker

That poor turnout meant the economic fate of millennials was decided by their parents and grandparents.

The Guardian - Opinion

"In the white community, I won two to one, but with a very poor turnout.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "poor turnout", consider specifying the event or situation to which it refers for clarity. For example, "The election suffered from a poor turnout".

Common error

Avoid assuming that a "poor turnout" automatically signifies a lack of interest. It could also indicate scheduling conflicts, lack of awareness, or external factors.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "poor turnout" functions as a noun phrase, where 'poor' modifies 'turnout'. It describes the quality or state of attendance at an event. Ludwig examples show it's commonly used to describe elections, rallies, and meetings.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

96%

Formal & Business

2%

Encyclopedias

1%

Less common in

Science

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "poor turnout" is a common and grammatically sound way to describe low attendance or participation, as confirmed by Ludwig AI. Predominantly found in news and media contexts, it's used to report or comment on events with fewer attendees than expected. While "poor turnout" is a straightforward descriptor, consider related phrases like "low attendance" or "sparse crowd" for slight variations in emphasis. Remember that a "poor turnout" doesn't automatically indicate lack of interest, but could be due to various external factors. Understanding these nuances allows for more precise and insightful communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

low attendance

Emphasizes the number of people present at an event or meeting.

meager attendance

Highlights the insufficient or inadequate number of attendees.

sparse crowd

Focuses on the visual impression of few people in a space.

thinly attended

Describes an event or meeting with few participants.

weak participation

Emphasizes the lack of involvement or engagement.

low participation rate

Specifically refers to the percentage of people involved.

under attended

Event was not attended by enough people.

disappointing attendance

Indicates that the number of attendees was below expectations.

limited turnout

Highlights the restricted or reduced number of participants.

small showing

Suggests a modest or unimpressive appearance of attendees.

FAQs

What does "poor turnout" mean?

"Poor turnout" refers to a situation where a smaller number of people than expected attend an event, meeting, or election.

What are some synonyms for "poor turnout"?

Alternatives include "low attendance", "meager attendance", or "sparse crowd".

What factors might contribute to a "poor turnout" at an event?

Factors can include bad weather, lack of publicity, scheduling conflicts, or a general lack of interest in the event.

How can a "poor turnout" affect an election?

A "poor turnout" can skew election results, potentially favoring candidates with strong support among a smaller, more motivated group of voters.