Vocabulary Related to Meetings

Vocabulary Related to Meetings

Hello, dear English learners. Today we will look at a number of key words and phrases you will hear in business meetings, team discussions, and online conferences. If you are preparing for the Cambridge B2 First or C1 Advanced exam — or if you regularly attend meetings at work — this vocabulary will help you sound clearer, more confident, and far more professional. Vocabulary Related to Meetings

Let’s look at the key terms and phrasal verbs you should know.

Core Meeting Vocabulary

Agenda

Meaning: a list of topics to be discussed at a meeting.

Collocations: set the agenda, follow the agenda, stick to the agenda

• Please find the agenda attached to the email.
• What’s the next point on the agenda?

Chairperson

Meaning: the person who leads or manages a meeting. You may also hear chairman or chairwoman.

Collocations: chair a meeting, elected chairperson

• The chairperson opened the meeting with a brief welcome.
• The chairman brought the meeting to a close.

Moderator

Meaning: someone who ensures the discussion runs smoothly, especially in formal or online meetings.

• They appointed a moderator to oversee the session.
• If you have technical issues, please inform the moderator.

Attendee

Meaning: a person who attends a meeting or event.

• There were over 35 attendees at today’s meeting.
• All attendees must sign the registration form.

Quorum

Meaning: the minimum number of participants required for the meeting to be valid.

• How many members do we need to make a quorum? Vocabulary Related to Meetings
• The meeting was postponed because there wasn’t a quorum.

Brainstorming

Meaning: a group discussion designed to generate ideas or find solutions.

• Brainstorming is a great way to approach complex problems.
• We’re having a brainstorming session on Tuesday — please join us.

Deadline

Meaning: the latest possible time by which something must be completed.

Collocations: meet a deadline, miss a deadline, extend a deadline

• The deadline for applications is next Thursday.
• Do you think we can meet the deadline?

To recap

Meaning: to repeat or summarise the main points of a meeting.

• Let’s recap what we’ve discussed so far.
• To recap, the company will issue dividends by the end of the year.

To delegate

Meaning: to assign a duty or task to another person.

Noun: delegate — a person chosen to carry out a task.

• I suggest we delegate the survey to Mr Peters. Vocabulary Related to Meetings
• The company will send a delegate to the conference.

Icebreaker

Meaning: an activity or joke that helps people relax at the beginning of a meeting.

Related expression: break the ice — to make people feel more comfortable.

• The game “Just One Lie” is an excellent icebreaker.
• Telling a light joke often helps break the ice.

Venue

Meaning: the place where a meeting or event takes place.

• Hotels make excellent venues for conferences and workshops.
• The venue was packed with over a hundred participants.

To adjourn

Meaning: to pause or postpone a meeting until a later time.

• The meeting was adjourned until Monday.
• The chairperson adjourned the session for next week.

Phrasal Verbs for Meetings

Set up

Meaning: to arrange the time, date, and place of a meeting.

• We need to set up a meeting to discuss the new layout.
• The manager set up a meeting with the union representative.

Bring forward

Meaning 1: move a meeting to an earlier time or date.

Meaning 2: propose an idea for discussion.

• The meeting has been brought forward to Monday.
• The Commission will bring forward the proposal next week.

Put back

Meaning: to change a meeting to a later time or date. Vocabulary Related to Meetings

• The meeting has been put back to Wednesday.
• They put back the date from September to October.

Put off

Meaning: to postpone a meeting.

• The chairwoman put off the meeting because there was no quorum.
• The meeting was put off for three days.

Call off

Meaning: to cancel a meeting.

• Tomorrow’s meeting has been called off — the chairperson is ill.
• They had to call it off due to Internet problems.

Useful Meeting Expressions

Here are some common phrases you can use during meetings:

“Let’s get started.”

“Can you clarify that point?”

“Shall we move on to the next item?”

“I agree up to a point.”

“Let’s come back to that later.”

“Shall we wrap up?”

These expressions are extremely helpful in Cambridge speaking exams and in real professional settings.

Meeting vocabulary is an essential part of business communication. The more you practise using these terms and expressions, the more confidently you’ll participate in discussions — whether online or face to face. Keep reviewing, keep speaking, and you’ll notice your English becoming clearer and more professional day by day.

Download the exercise for this lesson in PDF here

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