presided; presiding
1
: to exercise guidance, direction, or control
2
a
: to occupy the place of authority : act as president, chairman, or moderator
b
: to occupy a position similar to that of a president or chairman
3
: to occupy a position of featured instrumental performer
—usually used with at
presided at the organ
presider
noun
Examples of preside in a Sentence
Court is now in session, Justice Raul Fernandez presiding.
Recent Examples on the Web
Neither his own research nor others’ has demonstrated such a strong conclusion, and the presiding judge picked up on that.
—
Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 16 Oct. 2025
O’Hare, a Southlake Republican, named Commissioner Manny Ramirez, a Fort Worth Republican, as the presiding officer in the county judge’s absence.
—Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Oct. 2025
O’Neall, the presiding officer of the Fairbanks North Star Borough Assembly, was endorsed by the Alaska Democratic Party.
—Khaleda Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025
The presiding minister elected not to deliver a funeral sermon; dirt was shoveled on top of the mahogany box only three minutes after the service began.
—Literary Hub, 8 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for preside
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Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 16 Oct. 2025
O’Hare, a Southlake Republican, named Commissioner Manny Ramirez, a Fort Worth Republican, as the presiding officer in the county judge’s absence.
—Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Oct. 2025
O’Neall, the presiding officer of the Fairbanks North Star Borough Assembly, was endorsed by the Alaska Democratic Party.
—Khaleda Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025
The presiding minister elected not to deliver a funeral sermon; dirt was shoveled on top of the mahogany box only three minutes after the service began.
—Literary Hub, 8 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for preside
Cite this Entry
“Preside.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/preside. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
preside
verb
pre·side
pri-ˈzīd 
presided; presiding
1
: to be in the place of authority : act as president, chairperson, or moderator
preside over a meeting
2
: to be in charge
Legal Definition
preside
intransitive verb
pre·side
pri-ˈzīd
presided; presiding
1
: to exercise guidance, direction, or control
2
: to occupy the place of authority : direct or regulate proceedings as chief officer
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