as in officeholder
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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
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Recent Examples of incumbent
Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 1 Jan. 2026
The announcement is a stunning pivot given that Stefanik was considered the front-runner by most political observers in the GOP primary next year to unseat Democratic incumbent Kathy Hochul.
—Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 19 Dec. 2025
The Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 5 Nov. 2025
In 2021, incumbent Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin flipped the seat.
—Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for incumbent
Noun
Mamdani was elected as New York City’s 112th mayor in November, beating out incumbent Eric Adams and former New York governor Andrew Cuomo.
—Adjective
The Spring Hill School Board had some tight races Tuesday, but Autumn Coleman-Marconett, Steve Miller and Ted Beauchamp appeared to have commanding leads over incumbent Nicole Melius, Chris Olsen and incumbent Keith Ewing.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for incumbent
Noun
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Both blamed a long-standing Senate practice that made their confirmations to become permanent officeholders unlikely.—
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In 2022, Princeton’s Bridging Divides Initiative, which tracks the effects of domestic political violence, began surveying local officeholders.—
Adjective
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More recently, the church was sued by a former employee over a policy of compulsory tithing.—
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The core design feature is compulsory arbitration, where everyone agrees that if there is a dispute, it is heard by a process overseen by the commissioner—and unlike litigation, it is conducted in private.—
Adjective
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The victim was taken to the hospital with two stab wounds to her back, and cuts on her arm and hand that authorities say required stitches, per prosecutors.—
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Families and participants are responsible only for transportation to the adventure locations and for obtaining any required hunting or fishing licenses.—
Adjective
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The negotiations have been mired in disagreements over how mandatory water cuts should be divided among the states.—
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On the production of child pornography offense, Sayer faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years in prison on each count.—
Adjective
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After giving birth to her second child in April, the 32-year-old was determined to continue breastfeeding her son — a choice that was both personally important and financially necessary for her family.—
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The Federal Aviation Administration says the decision is necessary to keep travelers safe.—
Cite this Entry
“Incumbent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/incumbent. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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