Speaker of the House

Cultural

The presiding officer of the United States House of Representatives. The Speaker, a member of the House, is elected by a majority party caucus. In addition to being chief spokesman for the majority party, the Speaker runs the proceedings of House debate and voting, appoints committee members, refers bills to committees for research and development, and has an influential voice in all stages of a bill's consideration. One of the most visible and influential officials of the federal government, the Speaker is second in line, after the vice president, in succession to the presidency.

Example Sentences

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It also marks the end of a storied political career: Pelosi, 85, served as the first female Speaker of the House and led her party in the lower chamber of Congress from 2003 until 2023.

From BBC • Nov. 6, 2025

His predecessor in that role was convicted in a high-profile bribery case involving the Illinois Speaker of the House.

From Barron's • Oct. 17, 2025

She visited the House of Commons, spoke to the Speaker of the House and devoured books, podcasts and documentaries.

From BBC • Aug. 20, 2025

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson told one of them, podcaster Benny Johnson—no relation—that “we should put everything out there.”

From Slate • Jul. 19, 2025

“He’s one of the chief law officers of the Crown. He’s the Speaker of the House of Lords.”

From "The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage" by Philip Pullman

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023