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

René Carayol, a leadership coach to Fortune 500 and FTSE 100 executives and world leaders, broke down what the most effective communicators did at this year’s World Economic Forum, in a conversation with CNBC. —Sawdah Bhaimiya, CNBC, 25 Jan. 2026

New Yorkers will look to the 34-year-old’s response as an early test of his leadership. —Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 25 Jan. 2026

Hotels are taking sustainability seriously Seoul's luxury hotels are also taking a leadership role in the city's green transformation. —Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 25 Jan. 2026

Not only did Hart disclose his conviction and pornography addiction to his new bosses at Crossline Church, but prior victims contacted church leadership to warn them, to no avail, the suit alleged. —Tony Saavedra, Oc Register, 24 Jan. 2026

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