cloture

1 of 2

noun

clo·​ture ˈklō-chər 

: the closing or limitation of debate in a legislative body especially by calling for a vote

cloture

2 of 2

verb

clotured; cloturing; clotures

transitive verb

: to close (debate) in a legislative body by cloture

Debate over the bill was short Tuesday evening. After an initial debate Tuesday afternoon, Senate Republicans clotured debate when the bill returned later in the day.

—Brian Lyman

Examples of cloture in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Cloture Vote Brings New Uncertainty The hope is that there will not be any such surprises during the cloture vote on September 15. — Cleve Mesidor, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026

The bill will need the support of at least 60 senators to invoke cloture and overcome a potential filibuster. — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 11 Aug. 2026

By the close of business on Monday night, and early Tuesday morning, Thune did not start the cloture procedure, and the likelihood of this getting to a vote by Friday dwindles by the day for this week. — Trey Wallace Outkick, FOXNews.com, 4 Aug. 2026

Clearing the wall requires another nuclear option The only workaround is to change the rules again — invoking the nuclear option a second time, specifically to lower the cloture threshold for discharge resolutions. — Phil Mattingly, CNN Money, 22 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

French clôture, literally, closure, alteration of Middle French closure

First Known Use

Noun

1871, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1886, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for cloture

• poacher

Legal Definition

cloture

noun

clo·​ture ˈklō-chər 

: the closing or limitation of debate in a legislative body especially by calling for a vote

cloture transitive verb

Etymology

Noun

French clôture, literally, closure