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a seat at the table

a role in making decisions

In Headline Expressions

In more detail

(idiom) a position where you have power to influence important decisions or are included in discussions that matter

Examples

• She fought hard to earn a seat at the table in the company's strategic planning meetings.

How to use a seat at the table

This idiom conveys not just mere participation but genuine influence and power in important decisions or negotiations. It is commonly used in business, politics, and contexts where marginalized groups or stakeholders advocate for inclusion. The phrase suggests both recognition and agency rather than passive attendance.

Common phrases

• earn a seat at the table
• have a seat at the table
• get a seat at the table
• secure a seat at the table
• fight for a seat at the table
• invite someone to the table

Synonyms

a voice in the matter · a say in the decision · a place at the negotiating table · a stake in the outcome · inclusion in discussions

Opposites

exclusion from decision-making · being left out

A common mistake

Learners sometimes use this literally to mean a chair at a dining table or physical seating arrangement, missing the metaphorical sense of political or organizational power and inclusion.

Nearby in Headline Expressions

sit on the fence, a red line, a smoking gun, a wild card, dead in the water, an uphill battle

Keep going

How to remember the words you read · Spaced repetition, explained