leadership

noun

lead·​er·​ship ˈlē-dər-ˌship 

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 team …

—Harold Koontz and 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

Most co-curricular activities, like arts and leadership programs, would be shared, but spiritual programming and retreats would remain separate. —Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 12 Nov. 2025

An Enquirer analysis of government data shows that payments Archdeacon received from the company increased in tandem with his rise through the ranks of hospital leadership, from UC Medical Center’s chief of staff, to orthopedic surgery chair, to CEO of UC Physicians in 2021. —Elizabeth B. Kim, Cincinnati Enquirer, 12 Nov. 2025

This means clear ownership, strategic leadership, and, above all, profit-and-loss accountability. —Phil Gilbert, Fortune, 12 Nov. 2025

China operates one of the world’s most extensive online censorship and surveillance regimes that scrubs political dissent and criticism of the ruling Communist Party’s leadership and ideologies, including a drive against feminine portrayals of men in pop culture. —Steven Jiang, CNN Money, 11 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1765, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing leadership

• under someone's leadership

Rhymes for leadership

• authorship
• battleship
• censorship
• chairmanship
• chieftainship
• comradeship
• consulship
• craftsmanship
• dealership
• draftsmanship
• fellowship
• fingertip