leadership

noun

lead·​er·​ship ˈlē-dər-ˌship How to pronounce leadership (audio)
1
: the office or position of a leader
recently assumed the leadership of the company
2
: capacity to lead
a politician who lacks leadership
3
: the act or an instance of leading
leadership molds individuals into a teamHarold Koontz & Cyril O'Donnell
4
: leaders
the party leadership

Examples of leadership in a Sentence

a politician who lacks leadership What this country needs is the exercise of strong leadership!
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Before Everlane, Vukelich spent 12 years at Walmart in a range of senior leadership roles including vice president of e-commerce supply chain people, head of strategy and human resources for Walmart Neighborhood Markets, and regional general manager for 150 West Coast stores. David Moin, Footwear News, 21 Oct. 2025 His leadership team began weighing whether to offer Democrats a stand-alone vote on the expiring Obamacare subsidies around a week after funding lapsed, something Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) rejected as a fig leaf. David Sivak, The Washington Examiner, 21 Oct. 2025 His leadership approach is very American. Barry Strauss, Time, 21 Oct. 2025 Right now, some communities don't feel like they're being protected by the Democratic leadership or party. Peter Aitken, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for leadership

Word History

First Known Use

1765, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of leadership was in 1765

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Cite this Entry

“Leadership.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/leadership. Accessed 27 Oct. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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