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The Religious History of Incumbent
When incumbent was first used in English in the 15th century, it referred to someone who occupied a benefice—a paid position in a church. This was often a lifetime appointment; the person could only be forced to leave the office in the case of certain specific legal conflicts. In the mid-17th century, incumbent came to refer to anyone holding any office, including elected positions. In the modern American political system, incumbent typically refers to someone who is the current holder of a position during an election for that position. The word also functions as an adjective with its most common meanings being "occupying a specified office" ("the incumbent mayor") and "obligatory" ("it is incumbent upon us to help"). Incumbent came to English through Anglo-French and derives from the Latin incumbere, meaning "to lie down on."
Examples of incumbent in a Sentence
Terry McCarthy, Time, 20 Dec. 2004
When Reagan and Clinton were seeking re-election, they didn't go after their opponents directly, in part because they didn't have to. Those incumbents knew that there's a point at which strong and tough can look weak and desperate.
—Jonathan Alter, Newsweek, 9 Aug. 2004
Jane Austen was born into the downwardly mobile branch of an upper-middle-class family. … None of the Austen children could inherit the family home from their father, a Church of England clergyman; after his death it would go to the next incumbent.
—Kevin Barry, New York Times Book Review, 7 Dec. 1997
Voters will have the chance to see the incumbent and her opponent in a series of three debates.
Incumbents often have an advantage in elections.
Adjective
It is incumbent upon the press to act not in its own best interests, but in society's best interests.
—Carll Tucker, Saturday Review, 23 June 1979
… the various types of obligation incumbent on the members of the profession.
—R. M. MacIver, Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, January 1955
… Mr. Lorry felt it incumbent on him to speak a word or two of reassurance.
—Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities, 1859
it is incumbent upon you to attend every staff meeting
Eli Amdur, Forbes, 8 Mar. 2025
Pegged as one of the most vulnerable incumbents in a quintessential swing state last year, Deluzio defied a red wave that swept out fellow House Democrats and outran Kamala Harris across his district.
—Charlotte Alter, TIME, 7 Mar. 2025
Leonard Greene, New York Daily News, 9 Mar. 2025
Fleming’s internal polling shows him in a close race against the incumbent senator.
—Mabinty Quarshie, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 9 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for incumbent
Cite this Entry
“Incumbent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/incumbent. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
incumbent
1 of 2 noun
incumbent
2 of 2 adjective
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