agenda
- 01 B1 Intermediate
a list of items to be discussed at a formal meeting.
a formal list of matters to be addressed or discussed during a meeting or session.
Simple“The first item on the agenda for today's meeting is the new budget.”
In context“The chairperson requested that any additional points be submitted forty-eight hours before the meeting to ensure they were included on the formal agenda.”
UsageOften used with the verbs 'set', 'follow', or 'stick to'.
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
a plan or list of things you want to achieve.
a temporally organized plan or set of goals for matters to be attended to.
Simple“Improving public transport is at the top of the government's agenda.”
In context“The director made it clear that digital transformation would remain at the top of the corporate agenda for the next fiscal year.”
- 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
a secret reason for doing something, often to get an advantage for yourself.
an underlying or ulterior motive; a set of personal goals that are not openly stated.
Simple“I think he has a hidden agenda for helping us with the project.”
In context“Critics argued that the senator had a hidden agenda, suggesting his support for the bill was motivated by private business interests.”
UsageCommonly used in the phrase 'hidden agenda'.
Teacher's tipThis sense often carries a negative or suspicious tone in conversation.
Synonymsmotivehidden aim - 04 B1 Intermediate
a small book or diary used to write down appointments and tasks.
a physical notebook or digital application used to organize and maintain plans, appointments, or lists.
Simple“She wrote the date of the dentist appointment in her agenda.”
In context“He checked his agenda to see if he was available for a lunch meeting on Tuesday afternoon.”
Teacher's tipIn many European languages, the word for 'diary' or 'planner' is a cognate of 'agenda', making this a common point of transfer for learners.
“That is not an issue that sells newspapers, drives clicks or feeds the agendas of the rightwing billionaires who own most of our media.”
“Digitization, personalization, and AI strategy have become staple topics on the agendas of leading cultural industry forums .”
From Latin agenda (“things that ought to be done”), future passive participle (gerundive) of agō (“I do, act, make”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.