committee of the whole: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Formal, Parliamentary, Legal, Corporate Governance
Quick answer
What does “committee of the whole” mean?
A parliamentary procedure where an entire legislative body (like a house of parliament or congress) transforms itself into a committee to consider a bill or matter in a less formal setting.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A parliamentary procedure where an entire legislative body (like a house of parliament or congress) transforms itself into a committee to consider a bill or matter in a less formal setting.
A meeting format, often used in formal organizations or corporate boards, where all members participate as a single committee to discuss an issue with relaxed rules of debate, typically before a final, more formal vote.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
More commonly referenced in the US Congress and state legislatures. In the UK Parliament, the equivalent is often 'the House in Committee' or 'the House resolved into a committee', specifically 'Committee of the whole House'.
Connotations
In both contexts, it connotes detailed, less restrictive scrutiny of legislation. In the US, it is a standard stage in the legislative process for important bills.
Frequency
Higher frequency in American political and governmental discourse. In the UK, the specific phrase is less common in everyday news, though the procedure exists.
Grammar
How to Use “committee of the whole” in a Sentence
The [legislative body] resolved itself into a committee of the whole.The bill was considered in committee of the whole.The chairman of the committee of the whole reported progress.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “committee of the whole” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The House will committee the whole to consider the Lords amendments.
- They are committeeing the whole next Tuesday.
American English
- The Senate is scheduled to committee the whole on the appropriations bill.
- They committeeed the whole for three hours.
adjective
British English
- The committee-of-the-whole procedure allows for more flexible debate.
- They held a committee-of-the-whole session.
American English
- The committee-of-the-whole stage is crucial for amendment offers.
- A committee-of-the-whole report was filed.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Might be used metaphorically in high-level corporate governance for an 'all-hands' strategy review with simplified rules.
Academic
Used in political science, law, and parliamentary history papers discussing legislative procedure.
Everyday
Extremely rare. Would only appear in detailed news reports about specific legislative processes.
Technical
Core term in parliamentary procedure, Robert's Rules of Order, and legislative drafting manuals.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “committee of the whole”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “committee of the whole”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “committee of the whole”
- Using plural verb with it (e.g., 'The committee of the whole are...') – it is grammatically singular.
- Referring to it as a permanent, separate committee.
- Capitalizing all words unless it starts a sentence.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. It is a temporary procedural state that a larger body (like a parliament) adopts for a specific debate. It dissolves once it reports back to the main body.
Not the usual presiding officer (e.g., the Speaker). A separate chairperson is appointed (e.g., the Deputy Speaker or another member), as the rules are more relaxed.
No. It can debate and amend a bill, but final passage requires the legislative body to reconvene in its formal session to vote on the bill as amended.
Very rarely. It is a technical term of parliamentary procedure. Other organizations (e.g., large boards) might use the format but are less likely to use the specific formal title.
A parliamentary procedure where an entire legislative body (like a house of parliament or congress) transforms itself into a committee to consider a bill or matter in a less formal setting.
Committee of the whole is usually formal, parliamentary, legal, corporate governance in register.
Committee of the whole: in British English it is pronounced /kəˌmɪti əv ðə ˈhəʊl/, and in American English it is pronounced /kəˌmɪdi əv ðə ˈhoʊl/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Go into committee”
- “Come out of committee”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a WHOLE class deciding to act as one small COMMITTEE to discuss a class project with fewer strict rules from the teacher.
Conceptual Metaphor
THE LEGISLATIVE BODY IS A COMMITTEE (A temporary role change for a specific purpose).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary purpose of a 'committee of the whole'?