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

Meanwhile, over in Asia, a top McKinsey executive laid out what sets Asia's owner-CEOs apart, drawing on the firm's research that helps filter out the key factors that determine successful leadership. — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 5 Oct. 2026

Organizations must also prioritize educating all users, from classroom teachers and administrative staff to senior leadership, on their roles. — Arkansas Online, 5 Oct. 2026

Named for a Shakespeare character, the PlumpJack Group has since grown to include PlumpJack, Cade, and Odette wineries in Napa, and its leadership team includes general manager John Conover and Newsom’s sister, Hilary. — Mike Desimone, Robb Report, 4 Oct. 2026

About 50 employees signed off on an email to leadership expressing concerns and providing suggestions, such as evaluating clutter and removing items like pillows that are hotspots for the insects. — Corey Schmidt, Sacbee.com, 3 Oct. 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