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

And LeBron’s decision was the last order of business for multiple teams setting their rosters mid-summer. — Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 25 July 2026

His first order of business is to hop in his car, have a morning session at the gym and join a friend for a coffee. — Michelle Lee, PEOPLE, 22 July 2026

Compared with earnings calls that Lu listened in on last year, wherein diversification away from China was a key order of business, that motivation has largely petered out in 2026. — Kate Nishimura, Footwear News, 21 July 2026

The first order of business for Charles and his DEB team will be to stake out a location with a clear line of sight to the west for their equipment. — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 16 July 2026

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