incumbent 1 of 2

noun

Definition of incumbentnext
as in officeholder

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incumbent

2 of 2

adjective

in-ˈkəm-bənt How to pronounce incumbent (audio)
as in compulsory
forcing one's compliance or participation by or as if by law it is incumbent upon you to attend every staff meeting

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of incumbent
Noun
This economy will thrive as AI raises the cost of entry, increases the value of the incumbent and makes the scarce parts of the business even scarcer. — George Wells, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026 In November, Jasser will face Democratic incumbent Greg Stanton or Kai Newkirk. — Arizona Republic, AZCentral.com, 21 July 2026
Adjective
In races where an incumbent congressional Democrat has lost this year, anger over Gaza has played a role, and in each of them the issue has drawn both donations and attention. — Benjamin Wallace-Wells, New Yorker, 26 July 2026 Two incumbent congressmen and three Assembly members lost their seats. — Ryder Kessler, New York Daily News, 26 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for incumbent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for incumbent
  1. officeholder
  2. compulsory
  3. required
  4. mandatory
  5. necessary
Noun
  • The previous officeholder, a Democrat, carried the seat by 6 percentage points in 2022.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 21 July 2026
  • Becerra, a longtime Democratic officeholder, received support from 61% of likely voters, compared with 36% for Hilton, a populist conservative who once advised a British prime minister.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 16 July 2026
Definition of officeholder
Adjective
  • During those years, a generation of young men left the country to avoid compulsory military service in Israel's proxy Lebanese militia, known as the South Lebanon Army.
    — Jane Arraf, NPR, 26 July 2026
  • The automaker had agreed a deal with unions in late 2024 to avoid factory closures in Germany and rule out compulsory redundancies until the end of 2030.
    — Sam Meredith, CNBC, 24 July 2026
Definition of compulsory
Adjective
  • Students can reach the end of an assignment, having answered all the questions or produced all the required work, without knowing whether their minds traveled the necessary distance for learning to have actually occurred.
    — Ray Ravaglia, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026
  • According to a July 3 letter obtained by The Sacramento Bee, the city still needed to complete required rezoning, adopt the housing element and submit both to HCD before the department could certify the plan.
    — Naomi Taxay, Sacbee.com, 17 July 2026
Definition of required
Adjective
  • Staff members at Mary Greeley Medical Center in Ames, Iowa, said that Konza and federal officials told them their participation in the new program was mandatory.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 27 July 2026
  • Pledis Entertainment put out a statement today announcing that SEVENTEEN members DK and Vernon will begin their mandatory military service this summer.
    — Hannah Abraham, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
Definition of mandatory
Adjective
  • Debt for any company can be necessary and useful if balanced by the ability to pay the debt service.
    — Erik Sherman, Forbes.com, 24 July 2026
  • If a judge found that Mora broke his agreement with the company, then a jury trial on the other issues of fraudulent misrepresentation, unfair business practices and breach of fiduciary duty may not be necessary, Mora said.
    — Robert Rodriguez, Sacbee.com, 24 July 2026
Definition of necessary

Browse Nearby Words

incumbency
incumbent
incumbents
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Cite this Entry

“Incumbent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/incumbent. Accessed 31 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of incumbent for Spanish Speakers

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