Filibuster
noun
Someone who talks for a long time in a parliament or meeting to delay or prevent a decision.
The senator launched a filibuster to prevent the bill from passing.
Often appears as...
- launch a filibuster
- end a filibuster
Usage tips
Technical
noun
A person who engages in unauthorized warfare against a foreign country.
In the 19th century, many American filibusters tried to incite revolutions in Latin America.
Often appears as...
- american filibuster
- filibuster expedition
verb
To talk for a long time in a political meeting or parliament to delay a decision.
The senator was going to filibuster until midnight to stall the bill.
Often appears as...
- filibuster a bill
- filibuster a vote
Usage tips
Technical
noun
Someone who talks for a long time in a parliament or meeting to delay or prevent a decision.
The senator launched a filibuster to prevent the bill from passing.
Often appears as...
- launch a filibuster
- end a filibuster
Usage tips
Technical
noun
A person who engages in unauthorized warfare against a foreign country.
In the 19th century, many American filibusters tried to incite revolutions in Latin America.
Often appears as...
- american filibuster
- filibuster expedition
verb
To talk for a long time in a political meeting or parliament to delay a decision.
The senator was going to filibuster until midnight to stall the bill.
Often appears as...
- filibuster a bill
- filibuster a vote
Usage tips
Technical
Definition 1 of 3
Pro Tip 1/3Tactical Delay
In politics, 'filibuster' describes a deliberate speech tactic to delay decisions in legislative bodies.
The minority party decided to filibuster the contentious bill.
Pro Tip 2/3Negative Connotation
'Filibuster' can imply wasteful talk without constructive outcome, often frustrating for those awaiting a decision.
The filibuster was seen as a last-ditch effort to block progress.
Pro Tip 3/3U.S. Senate Usage
The term is especially known in the U.S. Senate where senators may speak at length to prevent a vote.
The senator's filibuster extended the session into the early morning hours.
Pro Tip 1/3Tactical Delay
In politics, 'filibuster' describes a deliberate speech tactic to delay decisions in legislative bodies.
The minority party decided to filibuster the contentious bill.
Pro Tip 2/3Negative Connotation
'Filibuster' can imply wasteful talk without constructive outcome, often frustrating for those awaiting a decision.
The filibuster was seen as a last-ditch effort to block progress.
Pro Tip 3/3U.S. Senate Usage
The term is especially known in the U.S. Senate where senators may speak at length to prevent a vote.
The senator's filibuster extended the session into the early morning hours.
Pro Tip 1/3Tactical Delay
In politics, 'filibuster' describes a deliberate speech tactic to delay decisions in legislative bodies.
The minority party decided to filibuster the contentious bill.
Pro Tip 2/3Negative Connotation
'Filibuster' can imply wasteful talk without constructive outcome, often frustrating for those awaiting a decision.
The filibuster was seen as a last-ditch effort to block progress.
Pro Tip 3/3U.S. Senate Usage
The term is especially known in the U.S. Senate where senators may speak at length to prevent a vote.
The senator's filibuster extended the session into the early morning hours.
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Video examples
Why political...
party and maybe we can hope that the forces of comparative moderation might prevail that's number two number three now I'm going to get a little technical on you and then what we call in Washington processing but number three has entirely to do with the filibuster
Video examples
Beeban Kidron: The...
And it was with great delight that we found young people up and down the country explaining with authority what filibustering was and why the Lords might defy their bedtime on a point of principle.
Video examples
Why political...
party and maybe we can hope that the forces of comparative moderation might prevail that's number two number three now I'm going to get a little technical on you and then what we call in Washington processing but number three has entirely to do with the filibuster
Video examples
Beeban Kidron: The...
And it was with great delight that we found young people up and down the country explaining with authority what filibustering was and why the Lords might defy their bedtime on a point of principle.
Example 1 of 2
Quote examples
Bayard Rustin
American Leader
We demand that segregation be ended in every school district in the year 1963! We demand that we have effective civil rights legislation - no compromise, no filibuster - and that include public accommodations, decent housing, integrated education, FEPC and the right to vote.
Quote examples
Wendy Long
American Lawyer
We've always said a filibuster is not appropriate for judicial nominees. A filibuster is a legislative tool designed to extract compromises. A judicial nominee is a person. You can't take the arm or leg of a nominee.
Quote examples
Brian Schatz
American Politician
The filibuster is used more aggressively, so I think doing each individual appropriations bill through regular order would be a home run. But I think that we should try to hit a few singles.
Quote examples
Jennifer Granholm
American Politician
Voter suppression laws, overzealous filibuster use, you name it - the Republicans use every tactic they can to stop our democracy from actually selecting the person with the most support.
Quote examples
George H. W. Bush
American President
Please don't ask me to do that which I've just said I'm not going to do, because you're burning up time. The meter is running through the sand on you, and I am now filibustering.
Quote examples
Angus King
American Politician
My view of the filibuster is either you've got to lower vote edge or make people really filibuster if they feel that seriously about a piece of legislation.
Quote examples
Jeff Merkley
American Politician
There are two ways of looking at the talking filibuster. My way is as a form of unanimous consent.
Quote examples
Dolph Ziggler
American Wrestler
For the longest time, Cena would be, and still is, filibustered by half the WWE universe.
Quote examples
Tony Snow
American Journalist
There is no Senate rule governing the proper uses of the filibuster.
Quote examples
Evan Bayh
American Politician
No one ever built the filibuster rule. It just kind of was created.
Quote examples
Bayard Rustin
American Leader
We demand that segregation be ended in every school district in the year 1963! We demand that we have effective civil rights legislation - no compromise, no filibuster - and that include public accommodations, decent housing, integrated education, FEPC and the right to vote.
Quote examples
Wendy Long
American Lawyer
We've always said a filibuster is not appropriate for judicial nominees. A filibuster is a legislative tool designed to extract compromises. A judicial nominee is a person. You can't take the arm or leg of a nominee.
Quote examples
Brian Schatz
American Politician
The filibuster is used more aggressively, so I think doing each individual appropriations bill through regular order would be a home run. But I think that we should try to hit a few singles.
Quote examples
Jennifer Granholm
American Politician
Voter suppression laws, overzealous filibuster use, you name it - the Republicans use every tactic they can to stop our democracy from actually selecting the person with the most support.
Quote examples
George H. W. Bush
American President
Please don't ask me to do that which I've just said I'm not going to do, because you're burning up time. The meter is running through the sand on you, and I am now filibustering.
Quote examples
Angus King
American Politician
My view of the filibuster is either you've got to lower vote edge or make people really filibuster if they feel that seriously about a piece of legislation.
Quote examples
Jeff Merkley
American Politician
There are two ways of looking at the talking filibuster. My way is as a form of unanimous consent.
Quote examples
Dolph Ziggler
American Wrestler
For the longest time, Cena would be, and still is, filibustered by half the WWE universe.
Quote examples
Tony Snow
American Journalist
There is no Senate rule governing the proper uses of the filibuster.
Quote examples
Evan Bayh
American Politician
No one ever built the filibuster rule. It just kind of was created.
Example 1 of 10
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