presidency

noun

pres·​i·​den·​cy ˈpre-zə-dən(t)-sē 

ˈprez-dən(t)-

also ˈpre-zə-ˌden(t)-sē

plural presidencies

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

Synonyms of presidency

• administration
• management
• operation
• government
• supervision
• handling
• control
• stewardship
• direction
• governance
• oversight

Examples of presidency in a Sentence

responsibility for the presidency of a major television network

Recent Examples on the Web

Historically, the party holding the presidency loses seats in the first midterm congressional elections, and the current Congressional Republican majority remains razor thin. —Peter Aitken, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Dec. 2025

Slumps that low only lasted a few weeks at a time in his first term, according to YouGov, but Biden had 28 consecutive weeks with approval that low toward the end of his presidency. —Kinsey Crowley, USA Today, 5 Dec. 2025

By comparison, Biden experienced 28 straight weeks at similar levels toward the end of his presidency. —Diana Leyva, Nashville Tennessean, 5 Dec. 2025

Commentators around the world have noted the strain that an unfolding scandal has put on the Ukrainian presidency at a time when the United States is pressuring the country to make concessions to Russia. —Kristina Berdynskykh, The Atlantic, 3 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1591, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing presidency

• vice presidency

Rhymes for presidency

• residency

Kids Definition

presidency

noun

pres·​i·​den·​cy ˈprez-əd-ən-sē 

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- 

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