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Definition of phonathon

phonathon

/ˈfoʊn.ə.θɑːn/
pho · na · thon
Plural:phonathons
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phonathon Lexical Profile

phonathon Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

North American A campaign in which many telephone calls are made by volunteers or staff to solicit donations for a charity, educational institution, or political cause, or to encourage voter turnout.

Example

"Student volunteers gathered in the campus call center for the annual alumni phonathon to raise money for scholarships."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for phonathon

• Nearby Words

phobic
phoebe
phoenix
phonathon
phone
phonebook
phonecam

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in mid-20th-century American English as a blend of 'phone' (from 'telephone') and 'marathon', modeled on 'telethon'.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Phonathon. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/phonathon
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