incumbent 1 of 2

noun

Definition of incumbentnext
as in officeholder

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incumbent

2 of 2

adjective

in-ˈkəm-bənt How to pronounce incumbent (audio)
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of incumbent
Noun
Both endorsed Dan Koh, the front-runner in the crowded race to fill Moulton’s open House seat as the incumbent runs for the Senate. — Elizabeth Robinson, NBC news, 1 Sep. 2026 The offense will be built around incumbent starting quarterback Ryan Browne while the defense features productive linebacker Charles Correa, who followed Odom from UNLV to Purdue last year. — Michael Marot, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026
Adjective
Midterm elections are classically a referendum on the -- on the incumbent president. — ABC News, 30 Aug. 2026 In the Midwest and Plains, incumbent transmission owners have asked regulators to prohibit competitive bidding for power lines. — Joshua MacEy, Hartford Courant, 28 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for incumbent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for incumbent
  1. officeholder
  2. compulsory
  3. required
  4. mandatory
  5. necessary
Noun
  • At that point, Biden’s talk of mandatory retirement for aging officeholders hit awfully close to home.
    — Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
  • The association is using the $7 million to back officeholders in Iowa, Kansas, Georgia, Ohio, Florida and Texas and Republican candidates in Arizona, Colorado, Minnesota, Michigan, Nevada, New York, and Wisconsin.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of officeholder
Adjective
  • In the Soviet Union, basic military training was compulsory in schools including gas mask drills, march practice, and rifle assembly.
    — Bloomberg, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Even though public schooling became compulsory in 1896, the language barrier and the remote location of many plantations led to gaps in access to these laborers’ formal education.
    — H.M.A. Leow, JSTOR Daily, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of compulsory
Adjective
  • Hot hold foods did not reach required temperature; food was reheated.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 4 Sep. 2026
  • But at the school linked to the first cases, only 17% of students had proof of required immunizations.
    — Eric Boodman, STAT, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of required
Adjective
  • The fallout of this fraud included several new state-level fiscal accountability reforms for all New York school districts, including stricter internal controls, mandatory board oversight and independent auditor requirements.
    — Kathryn Blackman, The Conversation, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Due to the business’s small, quaint space, reservations are mandatory.
    — Emma Hall, Sacbee.com, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of mandatory
Adjective
  • Onslaught Is All Blood, No Guts Adam Wingard’s latest film is a too-slick wannabe grindhouse action-slasher lacking the engine necessary to power it.
    — Britina Cheng, Vulture, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Rather than directly buying the land necessary, Kingsbarn will look to participate in an exchange.
    — Joshua Hong, Fortune, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of necessary

Browse Nearby Words

incumbency
incumbent
incumbents
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Cite this Entry

“Incumbent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/incumbent. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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