continuing resolution: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowFormal, Technical, Political-Administrative
Quick answer
What does “continuing resolution” mean?
A temporary legislative measure passed by a government to fund government agencies at existing levels for a short period when a proper annual budget has not been enacted by the start of the fiscal year.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A temporary legislative measure passed by a government to fund government agencies at existing levels for a short period when a proper annual budget has not been enacted by the start of the fiscal year.
In broader organizational contexts, any provisional agreement to maintain current funding, policies, or operations while a final, comprehensive decision is being negotiated.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is almost exclusively American, relating to the U.S. congressional budgeting process. The UK and other parliamentary systems have different mechanisms (e.g., "Vote on Account," "Supply and Appropriation Bills") but no direct lexical equivalent.
Connotations
In the U.S., it often connotes political gridlock, short-termism, and budgetary dysfunction. It is a neutral technical term that frequently carries negative political connotations in public discourse.
Frequency
Virtually never used in British English outside discussions of U.S. politics. High frequency in U.S. political news during budget impasses.
Grammar
How to Use “continuing resolution” in a Sentence
Congress passed a continuing resolution to fund agencies until December.The government is operating under a continuing resolution.Negotiators are trying to avoid yet another continuing resolution.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “continuing resolution” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The parliament may need to authorise interim supply, a process analogous to the American system of *passing a continuing resolution*.
American English
- If Congress fails to pass a budget, it must *enact a continuing resolution* to avoid a shutdown.
adverb
British English
- Not applicable.
American English
- The agency is operating, for now, *continuing-resolution-style*.
adjective
British English
- The *continuing-resolution-style* measure was a stopgap to keep services running.
American English
- We are in a *continuing-resolution* situation for the third month in a row.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Might be used in government contracting to explain delayed procurement or funding uncertainty.
Academic
Used in political science, public administration, and American studies when analyzing budgetary processes and legislative politics.
Everyday
Used almost exclusively in news reports about U.S. federal budget disputes.
Technical
Precise term in U.S. federal budget law and congressional procedure.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “continuing resolution”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “continuing resolution”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “continuing resolution”
- Using it to mean any 'ongoing decision' or 'continuous effort to solve a problem'. Confusing it with a regular 'resolution' (like a New Year's resolution). Using it in non-U.S. contexts.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. A budget sets policy and spending priorities. A continuing resolution is a temporary law that simply extends previous funding levels, avoiding a shutdown but making no new policy decisions.
It varies, from a few days to several months, with a common duration being a few weeks or until a specific date. Some are 'laddered,' funding different parts of government for different lengths of time.
Typically, no. It usually funds agencies at their prior year's rate of operations. However, specific exceptions or 'anomalies' can be included to address urgent needs.
The specific term and legislative mechanism are unique to the U.S. system. Other countries have different procedures (like provisional or vote on account funds) to achieve the same goal of temporary funding during budget negotiations.
A temporary legislative measure passed by a government to fund government agencies at existing levels for a short period when a proper annual budget has not been enacted by the start of the fiscal year.
Continuing resolution is usually formal, technical, political-administrative in register.
Continuing resolution: in British English it is pronounced /kənˌtɪnjuːɪŋ ˌrɛzəˈluːʃən/, and in American English it is pronounced /kənˌtɪnjuɪŋ ˌrɛzəˈluːʃən/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “kick the can down the road (conceptually related)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: CONTINUING the old budget as a temporary RESOLUTION to a political problem. It continues spending because they haven't resolved the new budget.
Conceptual Metaphor
GOVERNMENT FUNDING IS A JOURNEY; A CONTINUING RESOLUTION IS A PATCHED BRIDGE or A TEMPORARY FERRY.
Practice
Quiz
What is a 'continuing resolution' primarily associated with?