INCUMBENT Synonyms: 60 Similar and Opposite Words

incumbent 1 of 2

noun

Definition of incumbent next

as in officeholder

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

incumbent

2 of 2

adjective

in-ˈkəm-bənt

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

Examples of incumbent in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Across the state, Democratic candidates—most of them newcomers to national politics, or people who had lost in the last election cycle—found themselves up against surprisingly strong Republican incumbents. —

Eric Lach, The New Yorker, 25 Sep. 2024 Of the nearly 70 seats where voters will have a choice in who represents them, most feature incumbents seeking reelection. —

Kayla Dwyer, The Indianapolis Star, 17 Sep. 2024

Adjective

The current primary rules – which vary by state and are controlled by our incumbent political parties – often exclude independents from voting, actively encourage low turnout, and enable the election of extreme candidates with narrow agendas. —

Andrew Tisch, Forbes, 27 Sep. 2024 Vance The debate will begin with the moderators introducing the candidates, starting with the incumbent party—which means Walz will be introduced first. —

Nik Popli, TIME, 27 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for incumbent

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'incumbent.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.