leadership
Americannoun
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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.
- Synonyms:
- hegemony, stewardship, governorship, control, directorship, management, administration
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ability to lead.
As early as sixth grade she displayed remarkable leadership potential.
- Synonyms:
- clout, sway, effectiveness, command, influence, authoritativeness
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an act or instance of leading; guidance; direction.
They prospered under his strong leadership.
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the leaders of a group.
The union leadership agreed to arbitrate.
noun
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the position or function of a leader
-
the period during which a person occupies the position of leader
during her leadership very little was achieved
-
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the ability to lead
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( as modifier )
leadership qualities
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the leaders as a group of a party, union, etc
the union leadership is now very reactionary
Etymology
Origin of leadership
Explanation
Leadership is the action of leading a group of people. Or, the actual people who lead the group. If you think you have leadership skills, you better be able to rally the troops and get the job done. Leadership can be the act of leading, or a name for the group of people doing the leading. The House leadership, newly emboldened by election results, may set an ambitious agenda for the new session of Congress. Your own leadership skills may be called into question if your entire staff resigns and goes to work for your competitor.
Vocabulary lists containing leadership
"Speaking Up"
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"Principles of Business," Vocabulary from Chapter 7
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"Speeches on the Little Rock Nine"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“In short, winners keep winning and losers keep losing, in the absence of a clear strategic inflection tied to the leadership change,” Ma concludes.
From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026
And they report this information to executive management and the board in quantitative and qualitative ways, so that leadership can oversee the details and the firm’s overall direction for AI.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 10, 2026
South Korea’s central bank kept its base rate unchanged for a seventh straight meeting ahead of a leadership change, as Middle East tensions weigh on the trade-reliant economy.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026
As a teen, he became a member of the Black Spades gang, parlaying his leadership abilities to form the Universal Zulu Nation, that sought to channel youth culture away from violence and towards creativity.
From BBC • Apr. 9, 2026
And the man who stepped forward to implement this version of leadership was James Madison.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
