order of business

noun phrase

: a matter which must be dealt with : task

the budget was the first order of business at the committee meeting

Examples of order of business in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In addition to the usual order of business — supporting the academy’s educational programs and getting to interact with current students and alumni — this year’s event paid tribute to longtime New York Academy of Arts president David Kratz, who recently retired after 15 years. —Kristen Tauer, Footwear News, 16 Apr. 2025

Sugar Bear and Snowflake’s first order of business appeared to be more tree climbing lessons to brush up on the little cub’s skills for life in the wilderness, the video shows. —Brooke Baitinger, Sacbee.com, 14 Apr. 2025

So while Green Bay’s defense needs help, finding more weapons for quarterback Jordan Love should be the Packers’ first order of business. —Rob Reischel, Forbes.com, 11 Apr. 2025

The first corrida in the film condenses its many segments into a bravura sequence of a dozen minutes: both an overview of the usual order of business and a selection of prime moments from a theatre of death. —Richard Brody, New Yorker, 24 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

order of business (predetermined sequence of matters to be dealt with by an assembly)

First Known Use

circa 1890, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for order of business

• agribusiness
• nonbusiness