leadership

noun

lead·​er·​ship ˈlē-dər-ˌship How to pronounce leadership (audio)
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 teamHarold Koontz & 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
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.
Schedule opportunities for interns to interact with leadership through brown-bag lunches, Q&A sessions or project presentations. Mark Morgan, Forbes.com, 23 May 2025 How Pritzker’s minimalist rhetoric holds up under heavy pressure from his core union constituency will be a test of his leadership. David Greising, Chicago Tribune, 23 May 2025 The school reopened September 2003 as a charter school under the leadership of Kevin Johnson — known for his success as a professional basketball player, serving as Sacramento’s first Black mayor. Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 23 May 2025 Many have also accused the university of capitulating to the Trump administration’s demands — including placing its Middle East studies department under new leadership — at the expense of academic freedom and protecting foreign students. Jake Offenhartz, Los Angeles Times, 23 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for leadership

Word History

First Known Use

1765, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of leadership was in 1765

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Cite this Entry

“Leadership.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/leadership. Accessed 28 May. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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