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

Pahlavi addressed the desire to see him the leadership role during his remarks. —Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Mar. 2026

Calm leadership lands better than fast moves. —Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 28 Mar. 2026

She was soon elected to the national leadership of Students for a Democratic Society, the largest student protest group in the country at that time. —Zayd Ayers Dohrn, New Yorker, 28 Mar. 2026

Foley’s team could also find the two Democratic constitutional officers have been guilty of lax leadership or even trying to cover up fraud. —Joe Battenfeld, Boston Herald, 28 Mar. 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