presidency

noun

pres·​i·​den·​cy ˈpre-zə-dən(t)-sē How to pronounce presidency (audio)
ˈprez-dən(t)-
also ˈpre-zə-ˌden(t)-sē
plural presidencies
Synonyms of presidencynext
1
a
: the office of president
b(1)
: the office of president of the U.S.
(2)
: the American governmental institution comprising the office of president and various associated administrative and policymaking agencies
2
: the term during which a president holds office
3
: the action or function of one that presides : superintendence
4
: a Latter-day Saint executive council of the church or a stake consisting of a president and two counselors

Examples of presidency in a Sentence

responsibility for the presidency of a major television network
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.
Radev sought to be prime minister Radev resigned from the mostly ceremonial presidency in January, a few months before the end of his second term, to launch a bid to lead the government in the more powerful role as prime minister. Veselin Toshkov, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2026 During his presidency, Radev gained a reputation as being sympathetic to Russia. ABC News, 20 Apr. 2026 Season 4 Wilson defeats Jerry Brown to retain the presidency. Richard Edwards, Space.com, 17 Apr. 2026 But now, Walsh’s legacy — which has survived multiple presidencies and migration waves — is coming undone. Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 17 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for presidency

Word History

First Known Use

1591, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of presidency was in 1591

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Presidency.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/presidency. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

presidency

noun
pres·​i·​den·​cy ˈprez-əd-ən-sē How to pronounce presidency (audio)
ˈprez-dən-;
ˈprez-ə-ˌden(t)-sē
plural presidencies
1
: the office of president
2
: the term during which a president holds office

Legal Definition

presidency

noun
pres·​i·​den·​cy ˈpre-zə-dən-sē, -ˌden- How to pronounce presidency (audio)
plural presidencies
1
a
: the office of president
b
: the office of president of the U.S.
also : the American governmental institution comprising the office of president and various associated administrative and policy-making agencies
2
: the term during which a president holds office
3
: the action or function of one that presides

More from Merriam-Webster on presidency

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster