ticket

ticket — noun

1. A printed or digital document that gives someone the right to enter a place, att

1.nounA2
Definition

A printed or digital document that gives someone the right to enter a place, attend an event, or travel on public transport.

Example

Tamás bought two tickets for the concert online last night.

ticket + for + event

Rania showed her train ticket to the conductor before finding a seat.

Common collocations
  • buy a ticket
  • book a ticket
  • ticket office
  • ticket price
  • admission ticket
  • entry ticket
Synonyms
  • pass

    Usually grants repeated or unlimited entry, unlike a single-use ticket

  • voucher

    A document that can be exchanged for a ticket or product, not entry itself

  • admission

    More abstract — refers to the right of entry, not the physical document

Grammar Patterns

a ticket + for/to + [event/place]

a ticket + for + [price/date]

Usage Note

Frequently paired with the prepositions 'to' or 'for' to name the event or destination — 'a ticket to the concert', 'a ticket for the museum'. Digital tickets stored on a phone are now called e-tickets.

Common Mistakes

I need a ticket for the highway' (when meaning a toll payment).
I need to pay the toll on the highway.
'Ticket' is not used for road tolls in most varieties of English.
I bought a ticket for the whole month at the gym' (meaning unlimited membership).
I bought a monthly membership at the gym.
'Ticket' is for a single event or journey, not ongoing membership.

2. An official written notice from a police officer or traffic warden ordering a dr

2.nounB1
Definition

An official written notice from a police officer or traffic warden ordering a driver to pay a penalty for breaking road rules or parking illegally.

Example

Justin got a parking ticket for leaving his car in a restricted area.

get + a ticket + for + offence

Amani received a speeding ticket on the highway and had to pay two hundred dollars.

Common collocations
  • parking ticket
  • speeding ticket
  • get a ticket
  • pay a ticket
  • fight a ticket
  • traffic ticket
Synonyms
  • fine

    Refers to the money you must pay, not the document itself

  • citation

    More formal legal term, common in US court contexts

  • penalty notice

    Official term used by some traffic enforcement agencies

Grammar Patterns

get/receive + a ticket + for + [offence]

give/issue + someone + a ticket

Usage Note

Commonly paired with the verbs 'get', 'receive', 'issue', 'write', and 'pay'. The specific offence is introduced by 'for' — 'a ticket for speeding'. Usually avoidable by appearing in court to contest it.

Common Mistakes

I got a library ticket for the late book' (meaning a fine at the library).
I got a library fine for the late book.
'Ticket' for a penalty is specific to traffic and parking violations in most varieties of English.

3. A small tag attached to a product in a shop that displays the selling price, siz

3.nounB1
Definition

A small tag attached to a product in a shop that displays the selling price, size, or other product information.

Example

Antonia checked the ticket on the jacket before deciding to buy it.

ticket + on + product

The shop assistant removed the ticket from the vase and wrapped it for the customer.

Common collocations
  • price ticket
  • remove the ticket
  • ticket on the item
  • check the ticket
Synonyms
  • label

    More general — can include fabric care instructions, not just price information

  • tag

    Often refers to a hanging ticket made of card or plastic

  • price tag

    The most common everyday term for this sense

Grammar Patterns

a ticket + on + [object]

Usage Note

In everyday speech, 'price tag' or 'label' is more common than 'ticket' in this sense. 'Ticket' is often used in retail inventory systems and stock management contexts.

Common Mistakes

The ticket on the car said it costs two million dollars' (meaning a price sticker for a car).
The price sticker on the car said it costs two million dollars.
'Ticket' for price labels is more common for small products, not vehicles.

4. A group of candidates put forward by one party in a voting contest, presented on

4.nounB2
Definition

A group of candidates put forward by one party in a voting contest, presented on a shared list for the public to examine.

Example

The Green Party announced their ticket for the city council election this morning.

party + announce + ticket + for + election

Tamás decided to run on the opposition ticket in the upcoming national election.

run on + [party] ticket

Common collocations
  • party ticket
  • run on a ticket
  • head the ticket
  • the Democratic/Republican ticket
  • full ticket
Synonyms
  • slate

    A more formal American term for a group of candidates running together

  • party list

    More neutral term, common in proportional representation systems

  • roster of candidates

    Descriptive phrase emphasising the list aspect

Grammar Patterns

run/stand + on + [someone's] ticket

a ticket + of + [candidates]

Usage Note

Widely used in US political contexts; in the UK and many Commonwealth countries, 'party list' or simply 'candidates' is more common. The phrase 'to run on someone's ticket' means to stand for election under a particular party's banner.

Common Mistakes

The party ticket is two dollars at the door' (confusing political list with an admission ticket).
The party announced its ticket for the election.
These are completely different meanings of the same word.

5. The policies and goals that a person or group running for office promises to pur

5.nounC1
Definition

The policies and goals that a person or group running for office promises to pursue if elected.

Example

Sirin campaigned on a ticket of better schools and lower taxes for everyone.

a ticket of + [policy promises]

The candidate's ticket included strong promises about healthcare and education reform.

Common collocations
  • run on a ticket
  • campaign on a ticket
  • ticket of reform
  • party ticket
  • election ticket
Synonyms
  • platform

    The standard term in most English varieties; 'ticket' is more colloquial and US-leaning

  • manifesto

    A formal written document outlining policies, common in UK politics

  • agenda

    Broader term that can apply outside politics as well

Grammar Patterns

run/stand + on + a ticket + of + [policies]

Usage Note

Often appears in the construction 'run on a ticket of [policies]'. In British and many non-US political systems, 'platform' or 'manifesto' is preferred over 'ticket' in this sense.

Common Mistakes

The mayor ran on a ticket for the football game' (confusing political platform with admission).
The mayor ran on a ticket of affordable housing.
When used politically, 'ticket' refers to policies, not entry to events.

6. A case opened by a user through a company's help system, asking for assistance w

6.nounB2
Definition

A case opened by a user through a company's help system, asking for assistance with a technical issue such as a computer glitch, website error, or software problem.

Example

Amani submitted a ticket to the IT department when her computer stopped working.

submit + a ticket + to + department

Feng opened a ticket with the website help team about a broken checkout link.

open + a ticket + with + team + about + problem

Common collocations
  • submit a ticket
  • open a ticket
  • support ticket
  • ticket number
  • ticket system
  • close a ticket
  • raise a ticket
Synonyms
  • support request

    More transparent term, less technical than 'ticket'

  • case

    Common in customer service contexts, emphasises the problem being managed

  • issue report

    Focuses on the problem description rather than the request for help

Grammar Patterns

submit/open/raise + a ticket

a ticket + about/for + [problem]

Usage Note

Common in IT and customer service contexts. Often paired with verbs like 'submit', 'open', 'raise', 'close', or 'resolve'. Each ticket typically gets a unique identification number for tracking.

Common Mistakes

I sent a ticket to my boss about the meeting' (meaning a message or note).
I sent a ticket to the help desk about the software problem.
'Ticket' for a support request is specific to technical/problem-reporting systems, not general messages.
Idioms

be tickets

idiom

It means that something is the end or the final point.

If our team loses this game, it's tickets for us.

When the boss found the mistake, it was tickets for the project.

just the ticket

idiom

It means exactly what is needed in a particular situation.

After a long walk, a cold drink was just the ticket.

For her birthday, a new book was just the ticket.

split the ticket

idiom

It means to vote for candidates from more than one political party in the same election.

Many voters decided to split the ticket this year.

Did you split the ticket or vote for one party?

that’s the ticket

idiom

It is used to say that something is exactly what is needed or that everything is just right.

You finished the report on time? That's the ticket!

We have all the supplies packed. That's the ticket.

ticket — verb

Word family

  • ticketing
    nounB2
  • ticketed
    adjectiveB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words relate to gaining entry or access, but they differ in scope. A 'ticket' is the most common term for a single-use document granting admission to an event or journey — you buy a ticket to a concert or a train ride. A 'pass' typically allows repeated or unlimited access over a period, such as a weekly bus pass or a backstage pass at a festival. A 'voucher' is not an entry document itself but a certificate exchanged for a ticket or product — a hotel might give you a dinner voucher. A 'permit' is an official authorisation, often for activities regulated by law, like a parking permit or a work permit. In everyday use: 'I bought a ticket to the movie' (entry for one showing), but 'I have a monthly pass for the gym' (ongoing access).

ticket ↗pass ↗voucher ↗permit ↗

Common collocations

Prepositions

Etymology

Old FrenchMiddle DutchEnglish

The word 'ticket' entered English in the 1520s from the Old French 'estiquet', meaning a note, label, or bill attached to a wall or post. The French word came from the Middle Dutch 'steken', meaning 'to stick or attach'. Originally, a ticket was a physical slip stuck to an object to identify it or state its price — the modern price-tag sense. By the early 1600s, the meaning had broadened to include slips that granted admission or travel rights, which became the most common sense today. The political meanings (party list, platform) emerged in 19th-century American English.