leadership

[ lee-der-ship ]

/ ˈli dərˌʃɪp /

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noun

the position or function of a leader, a person who guides or directs a group: He managed to maintain his leadership of the party despite heavy opposition.

ability to lead: As early as sixth grade she displayed remarkable leadership potential.

an act or instance of leading; guidance; direction: They prospered under his strong leadership.

the leaders of a group: The union leadership agreed to arbitrate.

OTHER WORDS FOR leadership

1 administration, management, directorship, control, governorship, stewardship, hegemony.

2 authoritativeness, influence, command, effectiveness; sway, clout.

See synonyms for leadership on Thesaurus.com

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Origin of leadership

First recorded in 1815–25; leader + -ship

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use leadership in a sentence

Their leader, Njie, still going by “Dave” during the operation, would stay a safe distance away until the State House was secure.
The Shadowy U.S. Veteran Who Tried to Overthrow a Country|Jacob Siegel|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
What it endangers is a narrow conception of Russian power, understood through the eyes of its dictatorial leader.
Oliver Stone’s Latest Dictator Suckup|James Kirchick|January 5, 2015|DAILY BEAST
It is the kind of compassion espoused by every world religion and every revered religious leader.
In 2015, Let’s Try for More Compassion|Gene Robinson|January 4, 2015|DAILY BEAST
He affected an anchorman finesse in apologizing for “past mistakes” as a Ku Klux Klan leader.
The Louisiana Racists Who Courted Steve Scalise|Jason Berry|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST

The seedlings of his potential greatness as a leader are sprinkled throughout it.
Mario Cuomo: An OK Governor, but a Far Better Person|Michael Tomasky|January 2, 2015|DAILY BEAST
A wise man hateth not the commandments and justices, and he shall not be dashed in pieces as a ship in a storm.
The Bible, Douay-Rheims Version|Various
The president sat in a chair which came over with the pilgrims in their ship, the Mayflower.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 60, No. 372, October 1846|Various
Dockier, a prominent leader of the Levelers, in the times of the English commonwealth, was shot by order of the government.
The Every Day Book of History and Chronology|Joel Munsell
It was more like the boarding of a ship than any land fight I had ever seen or imagined.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. CCCXXXIX. January, 1844. Vol. LV.|Various
Every leader was killed, and every peaceful native whom the Spaniards met on their way was unmercifully treated.
The Philippine Islands|John Foreman

British Dictionary definitions for leadership

leadership

/ (ˈliːdəʃɪp) /

noun

the position or function of a leader

the period during which a person occupies the position of leaderduring her leadership very little was achieved

the ability to lead
(as modifier)leadership qualities

the leaders as a group of a party, union, etcthe union leadership is now very reactionary

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

leadership

OTHER WORDS FOR leadership

Origin of leadership

Words related to leadership

How to use leadership in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for leadership