second reading

noun

1

: the stage in the British legislative process following the first reading and usually providing for debate on the principal features of a bill before its submission to a committee for consideration of details

2

: the stage in the U.S. legislative process that occurs when a bill has been reported back from committee and that provides an opportunity for full debate and amendment before a vote is taken on the question of a third reading

Examples of second reading in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The House took the day off Monday, due to the inclement weather, so its deadlines for second reading approval was moved to Thursday and third reading approval was moved to Monday. —Alexandra Kukulka, Chicago Tribune, 29 Jan. 2026

The council on Tuesday advanced the measure from its first to second reading, with a vote expected after the third reading sometime in coming weeks. —Idaho Statesman, 4 Dec. 2025

Another of the bills will appear on the same agenda for a public hearing and its second reading, while the last of the four has been deferred until after the new year. —Austin Hornbostel, Nashville Tennessean, 5 Nov. 2025

At the second reading, Stephen Schwartz has more music for Glinda. —Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 3 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1647, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for second reading

• bedding
• dreading
• heading
• shedding
• shredding
• sledding
• spreading
• threading
• treading
• wedding
• beheading
• embedding