governorship

noun

gov·​er·​nor·​ship ˈgə-vᵊn-ər-ˌship How to pronounce governorship (audio)
 also  ˈgə-vər-nər-
1
: the office of governor
2
: the period of incumbency of a governor

Examples of governorship in a Sentence

a candidate for the governorship The state has done well during her governorship.
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.
The California governorship has a track record of acting as a steppingstone to the White House with two former governors of the state, Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan, going on to serve as president. James Bickerton, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025 Republicans vying for the governorship in 2026 think differently. Lorenzino Estrada, AZCentral.com, 14 Oct. 2025 From the earliest days of his governorship, William professed himself willing to risk his life in His Majesty’s service. Stacy Schiff, The Atlantic, 8 Oct. 2025 Hamas agreed to most of the points in the deal, including handing over the governorship of the Gaza Strip to a technocratic Palestinian body. Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 6 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for governorship

Word History

First Known Use

1658, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of governorship was in 1658

Cite this Entry

“Governorship.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/governorship. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on governorship

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