State of the Union address

Cultural  

1. An annual message delivered to Congress by the president of the United States, in which he describes the condition of the country, outlines the nation's most serious problems, and proposes his annual program of legislation.

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The name of the address comes from a provision in the Constitution that the president “shall from time to time give to the Congress information of the state of the Union, and recommend to their consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient.”

Example Sentences

A few months later, Greenspan found himself seated between first lady Hillary Clinton and Tipper Gore, the vice president’s wife, at the president’s first State of the Union address.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 22, 2026

Even George W. Bush — the bumbling boardwalk caricature that he is — could deliver a State of the Union address without going off-prompter.

From Salon • Mar. 11, 2026

“Prices are plummeting downward,” the president told the American public and a joint session of Congress during his marathon State of the Union address.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 3, 2026

In last week's State of the Union address, Iran came near the end of the nearly two-hour speech and only merited a few minutes of his attention.

From BBC • Mar. 3, 2026

It is, in fact, a downbeat speech, almost an informal State of the Union address, designed to undercut the revelry and prepare the country for years of more pain and struggle.

From "Lincoln's Last Days: The Shocking Assassination that Changed America Forever" by Bill O'Reilly