filibuster

1 of 2

noun

fil·​i·​bus·​ter ˈfi-lə-ˌbə-stər 

1

: an irregular military adventurer

specifically : an American engaged in fomenting insurrections in Latin America in the mid-19th century

2

[filibuster entry 2]

a

: the use of extreme dilatory (see dilatory sense 1) tactics (as by making long speeches) in an attempt to delay or prevent action especially in a legislative assembly

b

: an instance of this practice

The filibuster delayed the voting on the bill for over a week.

filibuster

2 of 2

verb

filibustered; filibustering ˈfi-lə-ˌbə-st(ə-)riŋ 

intransitive verb

1

: to carry out insurrectionist activities in a foreign country

2

: to engage in a filibuster

transitive verb

: to subject to a filibuster

filibusterer

ˈfi-lə-ˌbə-stər-ər 

noun

Examples of filibuster in a Sentence

Noun

They engaged in a filibuster that lasted for over a week.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Among the key issues the candidates are likely to decide on are whether to impose term limits on Senate leaders to prevent another 18-year reign like McConnell's, and whether to scrap the Senate filibuster. —Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 1 Nov. 2024

Yet many of the same Democrats want to pack the Supreme Court, eliminate the Senate filibuster, get rid of the Electoral College, give federal agencies the right to impose eviction moratoriums and forgive hundreds of billions of dollars in student debt without the consent of Congress. —Bret Stephens, The Mercury News, 24 Oct. 2024

Verb

For example, by physically occupying the space, getting control of the microphone or by surrounding someone who is filibustering, to prevent their removal by law enforcement. —Khaleda Rahman, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024

Just months later, Republicans filibustered each of Obama’s three nominees to the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, widely considered the second-most powerful court in the country. —Ian Millhiser, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Spanish filibustero, literally, freebooter

First Known Use

Noun

1851, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1851, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Phrases Containing filibuster

• anti-filibuster

Kids Definition

filibuster

1 of 2 noun

fil·​i·​bus·​ter ˈfil-ə-ˌbəs-tər 

: the use of delaying tactics (as long speeches) to put off or prevent action especially in a legislative assembly

also : an instance of this practice

filibuster

2 of 2 verb

filibustered; filibustering

-t(ə-)riŋ

: to engage in a filibuster

filibusterer

-tər-ər 

noun

Etymology

Noun

from Spanish filibustero, literally, "freebooter," probably derived from English freebooter

Word Origin

One Dutch word has given us two different English words. The Dutch word vrijbuiter referred to a pirate or plunderer. The English borrowed this word in the 16th century, translating it as freebooter. The word was later picked up by the Spanish, who kept the same meaning but altered it to filibustero. Both words stayed in the realm of history until the middle of the 19th century. Then soldiers of fortune went out from the U.S. to try to cause uprisings in Central American countries. The governments there accused these Americans of wanting personal gain more than justice and called them filibusteros. English-speaking journalists wrote this word as filibuster, making it sound more like an English word. Later in the 19th century, members of Congress who delayed passage of laws by means such as long speeches were compared to the adventurers of Central America, who were trying to overthrow legitimate rule. Filibuster then came to mean "the use of delaying tactics to put off or prevent the passage of laws."

Legal Definition

filibuster

1 of 2 noun

fil·​i·​bus·​ter ˈfi-lə-ˌbəs-tər 

: the use of extreme dilatory tactics in an attempt to delay or prevent action especially in a legislative assembly

also : an instance of this practice

filibuster

2 of 2 verb

filibustered; filibustering

intransitive verb

: to engage in a filibuster

transitive verb

: to subject to a filibuster