How to use filibuster in a sentence

15 example sentences · noun, verb

Filibuster means a mercenary soldier; a freebooter; specifically, a mercenary who travelled illegally in an organized group from the United States to a country in Central America or the Spanish West Indies in the mid-19th century seeking economic and political benefits through armed force. Example: “Not all members of the Gang of Six are consistent in their opposition to filibuster.”

Examples of filibuster by meaning

nounA mercenary soldier; a freebooter; specifically, a mercenary who travelled illegally in an organized group from the...

Mexico's War of Independence (1810–1821) encouraged an increase in the activity of filibusters in northern Mexico, particularly Texas.2002, E. John Gesick, Jr., “Filibusters”, in Lee Stacy, editor, Mexico and the United States, volume 1 (Acapulco, Guererro – Film in...
Filibusters were American citizens who used armed force to procure economic and political influence beyond the borders of the United States from 1848–1861.2012, William H. Brown, “Central America, Filibusters”, in Thomas M. Leonard, editor, Encyclopedia of U.S.–Latin American Relations...

nounA tactic (such as giving long, often irrelevant speeches) employed to delay the proceedings of, or the making of a...

No longer do filibustering Senators take the floor and speak until they are physically unable to filibuster any longer.2010 April 22, Mimi Murray Digby Marziani, Diana Lee, “Statement for the Record, Brennan Center for Justice, New York, NY”, in Examining...
Then, last month, before the survey was finished and for reasons still unclear, the Democrats abruptly tried to attach a repeal of the law to the defence appropriations bill, a stratagem the Republicans defeated in a filibuster.2010 October 14, “An own goal on gay rights”, in The Economist, archived from the original on 23 Apr 2016
When filibusters started being used in 1837, the lack of such a motion allowed for endless speechifying.2017 February 1, Michelle Cottle, “Why the Filibuster Is a Senator's Best Friend”, in The Atlantic, archived from the original on 06 Feb...

verbTo take part in a private military action in a foreign country.

According to U.S. law, filibustering was a violation of the Neutrality Law of 1818, which prohibited the organization within the United States of any armed force that intended to attack a friendly foreign power.2012, William H. Brown, “Central America, Filibusters”, in Thomas M. Leonard, editor, Encyclopedia of U.S.–Latin American Relations...

verbTo use obstructionist tactics in a legislative body.

But as the case had dragged on interminably, and he believed, and the world believed, and the Canadians themselves knew, that they intended to filibuster and postpone as long as possible, he took the common-sense way to a settlement.1919, William Roscoe Thayer, chapter 11, in Theodore Roosevelt: An Intimate Biography, Boston, Mass.; New York, N.Y.: Houghton Mifflin...
1901—Senator Carter successfully filibustered a river and harbor bill because it failed to include certain additional appropriations.1957, Special Subcommittee on Amendments to Rule XXII, Committee on Rules and Administration, United States Senate, Proposed Amendments to...
Now, a filibuster typically begins when a Senator or group of Senators signals their intent to filibuster – which can be done by a private conversation with the majority leader or by quietly placing a bill or nomination on hold.2010 April 22, Mimi Murray Digby Marziani, Diana Lee, “Statement for the Record, Brennan Center for Justice, New York, NY”, in Examining...

More sentences with filibuster

Not all members of the Gang of Six are consistent in their opposition to filibuster.From the entry gang
Even with some filibustering in midconcert and near the end, Foo Fighters didn’t fulfill Mr.2008 February 21, Jon Pareles, “Letting the Inner Angst Out, Loudly”, in New York Times. From the entry midconcert
It took many attention-grabbing forms: freedom rides, land marches, tent embassies, blockades, sieges, stand-offs, demonstrations, lobbying, denunciations, and funereal silences, even filibustering.2011, P. G. McHugh, Aboriginal Title: The Modern Jurisprudence of Tribal Land Rights, Oxford University Press, page 61. From the entry tent embassy
During the debate, he filibusters with fabricated stories about his nonexistent children and defends empty stances simply to drain his audience of their will to live.2023 August, ““What We Do in the Shadows” prepared us for the disbelief that met the latest Jan. 6 indictment”, in (Please provide the…. From the entry fabricated
Then I watched Mr.Smith goes to Washington with Jimmy Stewart, in the filibuster, and I was thinking to myself, I bet Irma would be a great filibustress!2021, “What Have I Done” (0:02:33 from the start), in Curb Your Enthusiasm, season 11, episode 8, Larry David (actor), via HBO. From the entry filibustress
I heard someone at the swap meet say they were going to cozen up to someone, and someone else told me my sales pitch was a filibuster.2013, Kim Stanley Robinson, The Wild Shore, page 26. From the entry cozen

Meaning of filibuster

noun A mercenary soldier; a freebooter; specifically, a mercenary who travelled illegally in an organized group from the United States to a country in Central America or the Spanish West Indies in the mid-19th century seeking economic and political benefits through armed force.
noun A tactic (such as giving long, often irrelevant speeches) employed to delay the proceedings of, or the making of a decision by, a legislative body, particularly the United States Senate.
noun A member of a legislative body causing such an obstruction.

Full definition of filibuster

Questions about filibuster in a sentence

How do you use filibuster in a sentence?: Filibuster is used as a noun and verb. For example: “Not all members of the Gang of Six are consistent in their opposition to filibuster.”
What is a short sentence with filibuster?: “Even with some filibustering in midconcert and near the end, Foo Fighters didn’t fulfill Mr.”
What does filibuster mean?: Filibuster means a mercenary soldier; a freebooter; specifically, a mercenary who travelled illegally in an organized group from the United States to a country in Central America or the Spanish West Indies in the mid-19th century seeking economic and political benefits through armed force.

Adapted from Wiktionary: filibuster (page history and authors) and the entries each sentence comes from. Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws chose the sentences, left out offensive ones and quotations older than 1900, and marked the word in each. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

Last updated: 2026-09-02

Cite this page: “How to use filibuster in a sentence.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/sentences/filibuster. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.