as in compulsory
forcing one's compliance or participation by or as if by law
it is incumbent upon you to attend every staff meeting
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in officeholder
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of incumbent
Zack Meisel, New York Times, 25 July 2025
The incumbent is still likely to win the district, but in a good year for Democrats there could narrow loses for Republicans, Jillson said.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 July 2025
Dana Blanton, FOXNews.com, 23 July 2025
Faced with a challenge from the right by independents Andrew Cuomo and incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, Mamdani isn’t playing it safe.
—Chris Stirewalt, The Hill, 18 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for incumbent
Adjective
Naylor entered Thursday with a 123 wRC+, a decent upgrade over the incumbent Luke Raley’s 108 wRC+.
—Zack Meisel, New York Times, 25 July 2025
The incumbent is still likely to win the district, but in a good year for Democrats there could narrow loses for Republicans, Jillson said.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 July 2025
Noun
As is typical for the incumbent president’s party, Republicans (77%) are much more likely than Democrats (15%) and independents (32%) to feel pleased.
—Dana Blanton, FOXNews.com, 23 July 2025
Faced with a challenge from the right by independents Andrew Cuomo and incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, Mamdani isn’t playing it safe.
—Chris Stirewalt, The Hill, 18 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for incumbent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for incumbent
Adjective
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For example, Department of Education regulators are tasked with determining what subjects private institutions are teaching and if their curriculum adheres to compulsory education standards.—
Adina Mermelstein Konikoff,
New York Daily News,
22 July 2025
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Written as the compulsory number for the middle school division of the 92nd NHK All-Japan School Choir Competition, the song launched with 26,388 downloads to hit No. 1 for metric, while coming in at No. 16 for streaming, No. 15 for video, and No. 56 for radio.—
Billboard Japan,
Billboard,
17 July 2025
Noun
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The primary election isn’t until Aug. 4, 2026, but 11 candidates have filed to run so far — from ambitious statewide officeholders to prominent lawmakers, former officials and entrepreneurs.—
Matthew Kelly,
Kansas City Star,
21 July 2025
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Besides the Larson race, challengers are stepping forward against Connecticut’s longtime officeholders across the state with less than 16 months from Election Day.—
Christopher Keating,
Hartford Courant,
17 July 2025
Adjective
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No required Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification from the company was viewable on the state’s Labor and Economic Opportunity website as of the morning of Wednesday, July 23.—
Darcie Moran,
Freep.com,
24 July 2025
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The petition drive was a required step to keep the cityhood application process going.—
Ashley Mackin Solomon,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 July 2025
Adjective
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So why haven’t more cities made curbside composting easier, or even mandatory? Curbside Composting Is Growing, But Access Lags California and Vermont are the only two states that currently mandate some form of household curbside composting access; Washington state’s law becomes effective in 2030.—
Heather Wishart-Smith,
Forbes.com,
21 July 2025
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Pakistan now faces a mandatory review — a final phase requiring endorsement from key FATF members.—
Jack Rosen,
New York Daily News,
21 July 2025
Adjective
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In an industry where reinvention is often necessary for survival, White’s consistency on Wheel of Fortune has been her greatest asset.—
Erin Spencer Sairam,
Forbes.com,
30 July 2025
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No experience is necessary and all fitness levels are welcome.—
Joe Rassel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
30 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Incumbent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/incumbent. Accessed 3 Aug. 2025.
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