lobby

lobby — noun

1. people, companies, or organizations that act together to influence the choices m

1.nounB2
Definition

people, companies, or organizations that act together to influence the choices made by the government or other officials, usually to serve their own interests.

Example

The oil industry's lobby fought against stricter pollution rules for factories.

lobby + for/against + noun — shows the group's position on an issue

A powerful farming lobby pushed the government to keep food prices low for shoppers.

Common collocations
  • powerful lobby
  • farming lobby
  • gun lobby
  • environmental lobby
  • lobby group
  • industry lobby
Synonyms
  • interest group

    broader term for any group that shares a common goal, not necessarily political

  • pressure group

    similar meaning, but may suggest more forceful or direct methods of persuasion

  • advocacy group

    focuses on promoting a specific cause rather than protecting self-interest

Grammar Patterns

[adjective] + lobby

the + [area] + lobby

lobby + for/against + noun

Usage Note

Often combined with a modifier before the word to show what the group cares about, such as 'farming lobby', 'gun lobby', or 'environmental lobby'.

Common Mistakes

The oil lobby bribed the minister to change the law.
The oil lobby pressured the minister to relax the rules.
'lobby' refers to legal persuasion through meetings and arguments, not illegal payments.
I waited for my friend in the political lobby.
I waited for my friend in the hotel lobby.
The INTEREST GROUP sense refers to a group of people, not a physical room. The ENTRANCE HALL sense (noun 2) is used for a physical space.

2. a spacious area just beyond the main entrance of a hotel, office building, theat

2.nounB1
Definition

a spacious area just beyond the main entrance of a hotel, office building, theatre, or similar large structure, where people wait, meet, or walk through.

Example

Guests gathered in the hotel lobby while the reception staff checked them into their rooms.

in the + [building] + lobby — common location phrase

The office lobby has a security desk where visitors sign in before going upstairs.

Common collocations
  • hotel lobby
  • office lobby
  • theatre lobby
  • in the lobby
  • lobby area
  • main lobby
  • lobby floor
Synonyms
  • foyer

    common for theatres and concert halls; more formal than 'lobby'

  • entrance hall

    a general term for the area just inside a building's main door

  • reception area

    specifically the area with a desk where visitors are greeted

Grammar Patterns

[building type] + lobby

in the + [building] + lobby

the + [building] + lobby

Usage Note

Typically combined with the name of the building type, as in 'hotel lobby', 'office lobby', or 'theatre lobby'. In British English, 'foyer' is more common for theatres; 'lobby' is more general.

Common Mistakes

I left my keys in the corridor of the hotel.' (when you mean the entrance area)
I left my keys in the hotel lobby.
A corridor is a narrow passage between rooms, while a lobby is the large open area near the main entrance.

3. a room or corridor inside the UK Parliament building where members of the public

3.nounB2
Definition

a room or corridor inside the UK Parliament building where members of the public can meet their MP, or where MPs walk through to record their vote — one passage is called the 'aye lobby' for yes votes, the other is the 'no lobby' for no votes.

Example

Voters waited in the lobby of the House of Commons to speak with their local MP about hospital closures.

The MP walked through the 'aye' lobby — the 'yes' voting corridor — for the education bill.

division lobby naming — 'aye' means yes, so the 'aye lobby' is for supporters

Common collocations
  • division lobby
  • central lobby
  • aye lobby
  • no lobby
  • lobby of Parliament
  • members' lobby
Synonyms
  • division lobby

    specifically the voting passageway, not the main meeting hall

  • central lobby

    the main hall in the Houses of Parliament where MPs meet the public

Grammar Patterns

the lobby of + [Parliament building]

division lobby

[aye/no] lobby

in the lobby

Usage Note

Distinguish from the ENTRANCE HALL sense (noun 2) — this sense refers specifically to rooms and passageways in the UK Parliament. The voting lobby is often called a 'division lobby', and MPs vote by walking through either the 'aye' lobby or the 'no' lobby.

lobby — verb

Word family

  • lobbyist
    nounC1
  • lobbying
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/2

All four words refer to spaces inside buildings, but they serve different functions. A lobby is a large open area just inside the main entrance where people wait, meet, or pass through — it often has seating and a reception desk. A hall can mean a long, narrow passage with doors to rooms, though it can also refer to a large room for events or gatherings. A foyer is similar to a lobby but is more common in theatres, concert halls, and cinemas, usually smaller and closer to the performance space. An entrance is simply the point where you enter a building — a door or gate — not a room itself. A corridor is a long, narrow passageway connecting rooms, without the waiting or gathering function of a lobby. For example: 'She waited for him in the hotel lobby' (open area with seating); 'He walked down the corridor to his office' (narrow passageway); 'They met in the theatre foyer before the show' (smaller entrance area for a performance venue).

hall ↗foyerentrance ↗corridor ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Prepositions

Etymology

Late LatinOld High GermanEnglish

The word 'lobby' entered English in the 1500s, coming from Late Latin 'laubia' meaning a covered walkway or porch, which itself came from an Old High German word for a roofed gallery. The original meaning — a covered walk or entrance hall — is still in use today. By the 1600s, it referred specifically to the entrance halls of legislative buildings, where members of the public could meet with politicians. From this physical location, the verb sense 'to try to influence politicians' developed in early 1800s American English, because people who wanted to sway votes would wait in the building lobby to speak with lawmakers.