incumbent
in-KUM-buhnt
/ɪnˈkʌmbənt/
The current holder of an official post or position; (adj.) currently holding office, or binding as a duty.
In political contexts, it carries the structural concept of 'incumbent advantage' in election campaigns.
The story behind the word. In classical Latin, incumbere meant 'to lie down upon' or 'lean on'. Medieval church law used it to describe a person who was officially 'resting upon' a church benefice or position. By the 17th century, it was applied to any government officeholder resting in their seat of power.
Word relationships
- officeholder: 'Officeholder' is a straightforward descriptive term, while 'incumbent' specifically highlights holding office during an election.
- challenger: A challenger is a candidate seeking to defeat the person currently holding the office.
Commonly confused with
- recumbent: 'Recumbent' means physically lying down; 'incumbent' means holding an official duty or position.
Word family
- incumbency (noun): The period or tenure during which an office is held.
Collocations
- incumbent candidate
- incumbent president
- incumbent advantage
- incumbent upon
Idioms & expressions
- incumbent upon (someone)
Example sentences
- "The incumbent governor launched her re-election campaign emphasizing her legislative record over the past four years." Re-election campaign
- "It is incumbent upon all elected leaders to preserve public trust in democratic institutions." Civic duty
Memory hook
IN-CUMBENT = IN the office, resting CUMB-fortably in the seat! The person sitting in office right now.
When not to use
Do not use to describe an office-seeker who has never held the role.
Fun facts
- Statistically, U.S. congressional incumbents win re-election at rates exceeding 85% due to fundraising and visibility advantages!
Related words
Explore more words
predecessor, tenure, mandate, Binding, constituent, successor
Also appears in
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