incumbency

American  

[in-kuhm-buhn-see] / ɪnˈkʌm bən si /

noun

incumbencies plural

1. the quality or state of being incumbent.

2. the position or term of an incumbent.

3. something that is incumbent.

4. a duty or obligation.

   my incumbencies as head of the organization.

5. Archaic. an incumbent weight or mass.

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incumbency British  

/ ɪnˈkʌmbənsɪ /

noun

1. the state or quality of being incumbent

2. the office, duty, or tenure of an incumbent

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Etymology

Origin of incumbency

First recorded in 1600–10; incumb(ent) + -ency

Example Sentences

But recent state elections suggest that extensive welfare delivery alone is no longer enough to secure incumbency.

From BBC • May 11, 2026

Amid what the analyst describes as an “AI-driven transformation of the data center,” the total addressable market for optics is expanding “well beyond Coherent’s incumbency in the traditional pluggable transceiver market.”

From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026

One of Davis’ greatest assets was his position as lieutenant governor; that currency — incumbency and government know-how — no longer trade at the same high value.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 25, 2026

But she also noted that Mastercard and Visa have “two-sided networks across billions of consumers and hundreds of millions of merchants” that confer major incumbency advantages.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 28, 2026

This was David Martin, who, after a brief incumbency, died suddenly of a quinsy, and was buried in much state.

From Benjamin Franklin; Self-Revealed, Volume I (of 2) A Biographical and Critical Study Based Mainly on his own Writings by Bruce, Wiliam Cabell