preside
Americanverb (used without object)
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to occupy the place of authority or control, as in an assembly or meeting; act as president or chairperson.
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to exercise management or control (usually followed byover ).
The lawyer presided over the estate.
verb
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to sit in or hold a position of authority, as over a meeting
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to exercise authority; control
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to occupy a position as an instrumentalist
he presided at the organ
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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presidesimple
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presidessimple
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have presidedperfect
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has presidedperfect
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am presidingprogressive
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are presidingprogressive
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is presidingprogressive
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have been presidingperfect progressive
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has been presidingperfect progressive
Past
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presidedsimple
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had presidedperfect
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was presidingprogressive
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were presidingprogressive
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had been presidingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of preside
1605–15; < Latin praesidēre to preside over, literally, sit in front of, equivalent to prae- pre- + -sidēre, combining form of sedēre to sit 1
Explanation
When you preside over something, you're acting as the leader or president. The captain of a club presides over the meetings. Whether your title is President or not, when you preside, you're acting as a president or another kind of leader. A judge presides over a courtroom. The owner of a business presides over staff meetings. If you work in an office, your boss presides over the office. Presiding can mean ruling or just supervising something. If you preside over something, you're in charge of it.
Vocabulary lists containing preside
"Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death" by Patrick Henry (1775)
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Just Mercy
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This Week In Words: Current Events Vocab for January 23–29, 2021
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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.
That’s when Kevin Warsh, President Donald Trump’s nominee, is expected to preside over his first meeting as the new chairman.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 30, 2026
Kevin Warsh, a Fed dove, is expected to preside over that meeting as the 17th chair of the central bank.
From Barron's • Apr. 29, 2026
It’s a two-year term to preside over Southern Section Council meetings.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 17, 2026
In rare cases, a judge alone may preside over a trial in Australia, but if the case is heard before a jury, finding one oblivious to Roberts-Smith will be a challenge.
From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026
With my eyes on income-and-outlay, the shop was doing better and soon we were able to hire a saleslady to preside over the front room while Father and I worked in back.
From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom
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.
