Definition

1. Proper noun:
   • The upper chamber of the United States Congress: The United States Senate is one of the two legislative bodies in the U.S. federal government, sharing legislative power with the House of Representatives. It is considered the upper house and is designed to provide equal representation to each state, with two senators per state.

Usage Examples

• Proper noun:
  • The bill must pass both the House and the United States Senate before it goes to the President.
  • She was elected to serve in the United States Senate for a six-year term.
  • The confirmation hearings for the Supreme Court justice are held in the United States Senate.

Advanced Usage

• "the Senate": When used with the definite article and capitalized, "the Senate" is a common shorthand reference for the United States Senate within a U.S. political context.
  • The Senate voted to ratify the treaty.

Variants and Related Words

• Senate (proper noun): The shorter, more common form used to refer to the United States Senate.
  • He has served in the Senate for decades.
• Senator (noun): A member of the United States Senate.
  • The senator from California gave a speech.
• Senatorial (adjective): Relating to the United States Senate or its senators.
  • She is running for a senatorial seat.

Synonyms

• The upper house: A descriptive synonym emphasizing its position in the bicameral legislature.
• The upper chamber: Another term for the upper house of a legislature.

Related Phrases

• "advice and consent": A constitutional power of the United States Senate to approve treaties and confirm presidential appointments.
  • The appointment requires the advice and consent of the Senate.
• "filibuster": A parliamentary procedure used in the United States Senate to delay or block a vote on a measure.
  • The senator threatened a filibuster to stop the bill.

Noun

1. the upper house of the United States Congress