filibuster
Prolonged legislative obstruction
A filibuster is a prolonged speech or procedural tactic used to delay or block legislative action—most associated with the U.S.
Senate, where unlimited debate allows a determined minority to stall votes indefinitely.
The verb means to obstruct legislation this way: Republicans threatened to filibuster the nomination.
Extended loosely to any stalling tactic: He filibustered through dinner to avoid the topic.
Legislative governing body
- quorumMinimum for valid proceedings
- legislationOfficial enactment of statutes
- motionChange in position
- amendmentChange to official text
procedural · floor · bill · resolution · committee · whip · caucus · adjournment
Procedure ending legislative discussion
- stallingIntentional delay tactics
- delayEnforced waiting period
- blockadeSealing off a place
- impedimentThing that obstructs progress
hindrance · gridlock · logjam · deadlock · stalemate · standstill · holdup · bottleneck
Oral communication ability
- eloquencePersuasive verbal grace
- rhetoricArt of persuasive language
- reading aloudSpeaking text for listeners
- recitationOral delivery from memory
monologue · talking · rambling · digression · phonebook · oration · verbosity
Authorized civilian warship
- mercenarySoldier fighting for pay
- raiderOne who attacks suddenly
- plundererOne who loots
- freebootingPiracy without government commission
adventurer · expeditionary · Nicaragua · Cuba · Latin America · nineteenth century · soldier of fortune
Planned action for advantage
- minoritySmaller part of whole
- dissentDisagreement with authority
- partisanshipLoyalty to one faction
- oppositionActive resistance or dissent
protest · resistance · leverage · negotiation · standoff · pressure · brinkmanship · showdown
senate
Legislative governing body
- quorumMinimum for valid proceedings
- legislationOfficial enactment of statutes
- motionChange in position
amendment · procedural · floor · bill · resolution · committee · whip · caucus · adjournment · reconciliation
cloture
Procedure ending legislative discussion
impediment · hindrance · gridlock · logjam · deadlock · stalemate · standstill · holdup · bottleneck · thwarting
speech
Oral communication ability
- eloquencePersuasive verbal grace
- rhetoricArt of persuasive language
- reading aloudSpeaking text for listeners
recitation · monologue · talking · rambling · digression · phonebook · oration · verbosity
privateer
Authorized civilian warship
freebooting · adventurer · expeditionary · Nicaragua · Cuba · Latin America · nineteenth century · soldier of fortune
tactic
Planned action for advantage
- minoritySmaller part of whole
- dissentDisagreement with authority
- partisanshipLoyalty to one faction
opposition · protest · resistance · leverage · negotiation · standoff · pressure · brinkmanship · showdown · controversy
- political theaterkabuki, agitprop, grandstanding, political drama, posturing
- civicsballot, election, ballots, Bill of Rights, branches of government
- governancegovernance, government, democracy, vote, parliament
- politicsdemocracy, campaigning, campaigns, democrats, bill
- U.S. PoliticsCongress, senator, representative, president, vice president
- US Governmentexecutive branch, legislative branch, judicial branch, Congress, House
filibustercloture
Procedure ending legislative discussion
expedite · passage · fast-track · ratification · enactment
filibustersilence
Total lack of sound
brevity · concision · terseness · reticence · taciturnity
filibustermajority rule
Decisions by greater number
decisive action · catalyst · facilitation · consensus · cooperation