on the table
Idioms-
Up for discussion, as in There are two new proposals on the table . [Mid-1600s]
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Postponed or put aside for later consideration, as in When they adjourned, three items were put on the table until the next meeting . [First half of 1700s] The table in both idioms is a figurative conference table. Also see lay one's cards on the table .
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Just over 40% of couples are actively coordinating their contributions to maximize any additional savings they could get from their matches, while 20% are leaving money on the table.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026
Chief Financial Officer David Zinsner said in an interview that the company was able to catch up in fulfilling demand in the second quarter after leaving business on the table in the first.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
And Cricket Australia chief executive Todd Greenberg told BBC Sport the prospect of taking international cricket's most storied - and marketable - Test rivalry to India should be on the table.
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
Rising Treasury yields put 7% mortgage rates back on the table — but it’s not guaranteed.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 23, 2026
Danny asked, pointing at the hat on the table beside her.
From "The Way to Rio Luna" by Zoraida Cordova
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
