lame duck
noun
1
: one that is weak or that falls behind in ability or achievement
especially, chiefly British
: an ailing company
2
: an elected official or group continuing to hold political office during the period between the election and the inauguration of a successor
3
: one whose position or term of office will soon end
Examples of lame duck in a Sentence
The President was a lame duck during the end of his second term.
Recent Examples on the Web
Cassidy will now end his final term in the Senate as a lame duck while Kennedy will continue to lead the nation’s most important health agency.
—
Brian Castrucci, Forbes.com, 23 May 2026
Lame Duck Known for its incessant, sometimes humorous, often unbelievable, but still consequential quacking, the lame duck, in theory, will eventually depart for Florida and stay there, becoming non-migratory.
—Christopher Gangemi, New Yorker, 21 May 2026
The conclusion of Green’s tenure, for example, was marked by an awkward lame duck season and a multi-week stretch in which hockey operations leadership attempted to fire him (only to be dismissed before getting the opportunity to do so).
—Thomas Drance, New York Times, 21 May 2026
Bronin was then a lame duck leaving office after declining to run for a third term.
—Mark Pazniokas, Hartford Courant, 29 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lame duck
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Brian Castrucci, Forbes.com, 23 May 2026
Lame Duck Known for its incessant, sometimes humorous, often unbelievable, but still consequential quacking, the lame duck, in theory, will eventually depart for Florida and stay there, becoming non-migratory.
—Christopher Gangemi, New Yorker, 21 May 2026
The conclusion of Green’s tenure, for example, was marked by an awkward lame duck season and a multi-week stretch in which hockey operations leadership attempted to fire him (only to be dismissed before getting the opportunity to do so).
—Thomas Drance, New York Times, 21 May 2026
Bronin was then a lame duck leaving office after declining to run for a third term.
—Mark Pazniokas, Hartford Courant, 29 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lame duck
Cite this Entry
“Lame duck.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lame%20duck. Accessed 31 May. 2026.
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