incumbent
in-KUM-bent
/ɪnˈkʌmbənt/
An official currently holding office (noun); or necessary for someone as a duty or responsibility (adjective).
In elections, incumbents hold a significant advantage (name recognition, resources) known as the 'incumbency advantage'.
The story behind the word. Derived from Latin 'incumbere' meaning to lie upon or lean on. Historically in ecclesiastical law, an 'incumbent' was a clergyman who was physically 'settled upon' or occupying a church benefice. It expanded into politics to mean anyone currently resting securely in an official post.
Word relationships
- officeholder: 'Officeholder' is a neutral term for anyone holding office, whereas 'incumbent' specifically highlights holding office during an election context.
- challenger: A candidate seeking to unseat the current officeholder.
Commonly confused with
- recumbent: 'Recumbent' means physically lying down or reclining; 'incumbent' means currently occupying an office or duty.
Word family
- incumbency (noun): The period during which an office is held.
Collocations
- incumbent candidate
- defeat the incumbent
- incumbent politician
- incumbent upon
Idioms & expressions
- incumbency advantage
Example sentences
- "The incumbent senator defended her record against three challenger candidates." Campaign news
- "It is incumbent upon public officials to maintain transparency in all public transactions." Formal obligation (adjective)
Memory hook
IN + CUMB (cumbersome chair): Sitting firmly IN the office chair. The person currently sitting in the seat of power.
When not to use
Do not use 'incumbent' for a challenger or candidate running for an open seat.
Fun facts
- Statistical studies show that US Congressional incumbents historically win re-election at rates exceeding 85%!
Related words
Explore more words
predecessor, tenure, mandate, Binding, constituent, successor
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