take the floor
idiomatic phrase
1
: to rise (as in a meeting or a legislative assembly) to begin speaking to a group
With Lott and Gramm staring at him as he took the floor during debate, McCain called the bill "seriously skewed," but said he would vote for it.—
Newsweek
NewsweekAt precisely 6:45 a.m. the rowdiness ceases as Sailor, a union safety expert, takes the floor for his weekly lecture.—Jack Friedman
Jack Friedman2
: to go out onto a dance floor to begin dancing
Several couples took the floor.
… the younger people took the floor, and all the elders sneaked back to their chairs …—Sinclair Lewis
Sinclair Lewis3
: to go out onto a basketball court to begin playing
Phillips hopes the scouts notice his quickness, his vision, … the way he changes the flow of a game as soon as he takes the floor.—John Gustafson
John GustafsonExamples of take the floor in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Thunder stay unbeaten in title defense Around the league, there were five games played on Tuesday night, including the defending champions taking the floor to continue their lightning start to their title defense.
—Ben Morse, CNN Money, 29 Oct. 2025
Whether Cleveland takes the floor at full strength or shorthanded, the night will mark the beginning of another test of resilience for a team with its sights set on the top of the East.
—Evan Dammarell, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
The money came into play after dinner (and after a speech by von Furstenberg), when auctioneer Lydia Fenet took the floor for a live auction featuring exclusive Kering-brand experiences that for one night only, money could indeed buy.
—Kristen Tauer, Footwear News, 12 Sep. 2025
During public comment, Kathy Watts of Valparaiso took the floor to read a statement regarding Biggs’ response to her complaints of his liking a cartoon on Facebook that mocked both those seeking mental health care and liberals.
—Shelley Jones, Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for take the floor
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Ben Morse, CNN Money, 29 Oct. 2025
Whether Cleveland takes the floor at full strength or shorthanded, the night will mark the beginning of another test of resilience for a team with its sights set on the top of the East.
—Evan Dammarell, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
The money came into play after dinner (and after a speech by von Furstenberg), when auctioneer Lydia Fenet took the floor for a live auction featuring exclusive Kering-brand experiences that for one night only, money could indeed buy.
—Kristen Tauer, Footwear News, 12 Sep. 2025
During public comment, Kathy Watts of Valparaiso took the floor to read a statement regarding Biggs’ response to her complaints of his liking a cartoon on Facebook that mocked both those seeking mental health care and liberals.
—Shelley Jones, Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for take the floor
Cite this Entry
“Take the floor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/take%20the%20floor. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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