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

After years of leadership churn, the sequence of traditional events involved in the transfer of power has become familiar for many in Britain. — ABC News, 18 July 2026

The optimistic interpretation is that Nolan’s visibility among directors has never been higher, and that his leadership role only strengthens his relationship with the very voters who determine the DGA winner. — Clayton Davis, Variety, 17 July 2026

Real leadership looks less like heat and more like follow-through today. — Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 17 July 2026

The leadership election quickly turned into a coronation as an unassailable majority of the party’s 403 MPs backed Burnham. — Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 17 July 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