work a room

idiom

: to talk to the people in a room to get their support, approval, etc.
a politician who really knows how to work a room

Examples of work a room in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Tensions often ran high between Tung, a gifted but practical and exacting cook, and Kathy, who knew how to work a room and sell a dish but not pay bills on time. Sonia Chopra, Bon Appétit, 18 Oct. 2023 Chloe Fineman knows how to work a room. Ian Malone, Vogue, 8 Dec. 2022 The gimmick of pairing celebrities like Jordan Peele, Jamie Lee Curtis (who knows how to work a room) and Steve Carell with theater employees, managers and owners was inspired and came off as genuine. Scott Mendelson, Forbes, 2 May 2022 Zayn Malik knows how to work a room at a Hadid family gathering. Benjamin Vanhoose, PEOPLE.com, 14 July 2021 In his biographies of the two, the former journalist David Torrance paints a picture of them as complementary forces: Salmond is theatrical, a natural performer; Sturgeon is on top of the details, a naturally shy person who learned how to work a room. Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 5 May 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'work a room.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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Cite this Entry

“Work a room.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/work%20a%20room. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.

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