INCUMBENCY Synonyms: 56 Similar and Opposite Words

incumbency

noun

in-ˈkəm-bən(t)-sē

Definition of incumbency

as in obligation

something one must do because of prior agreement few incumbencies of her office are as distasteful to the college president as fund-raising, of which there seems to be no end

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of incumbency That removes the incumbency advantage the GOP has seen in the district. — Kamal Morgan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 July 2026 How much weight does incumbency carry? — Philip Elliott, Time, 10 June 2026 But ultimately, the support for Rosen — through his prolific high-profile endorsements and corresponding fundraising advantage — along with the historical strength of incumbency in this countywide office, appear to have carried him to re-election. — Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 3 June 2026 Assembly District 39 Democratic state Assemblyman Juan Carrillo’s incumbency was being challenged by Republican Paul Andre Marsh, a community services liaison. — Ryan Carter, Daily News, 3 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for incumbency

Recent Examples of Synonyms for incumbency

Noun

Such a decision can affect production scheduling, inventory needs, employee activities and customers’ obligations.

— Ramachander Rao Thallada, Forbes.com, 26 Oct. 2026
Anthropic's off-balance-sheet obligations are similarly large.

— Ashley Capoot,Jordan Novet,Annie Palmer,Lora Kolodny,Kai Nicol-Schwarz,Caleigh Keating, CNBC, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of obligation

Noun

The schools would share the Final Four administrative duties.

— Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 28 Oct. 2026
In each of the future belligerent countries, elite schools would have long regarded it as their duty to instill in their pupils, the officer class in the making, a martial spirit.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of duty

Noun

Rushing went through a learning curve juggling his defensive and offensive responsibilities, and navigating intense online scrutiny of his outbursts on the field and in the dugout.

— Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2026
Enroll your baby before the clock runs out Ensuring your newborn has health coverage is one of the first paperwork responsibilities that parents face in the whirlwind of bringing a baby home.

— Stephanie O'Neill, NPR, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of responsibility

Noun

For over a year, residents of Serbia's capital were blocked from entering one of the city's most prominent parks, nestled between Parliament and Vucic's offices.

— JOVANA GEC, Arkansas Online, 27 Oct. 2026
Trump won his second term in office just days after the collapse of a new concrete canopy at a train station in Novi Sad, killing 16 people.

— Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of office

Noun

Start with the community With a pragmatic and fair approach, data center infrastructure can operate from a combination of baseload fuels, battery storage, and renewables, while prioritizing community needs and impacts.

— Neil Chatterjee, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
Rather than as a one-time session, our survivorship clinic builds relationships with survivors, supporting them as their needs change over time.

— Marci Lee Nilsen, The Conversation, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of need

Noun

For all its promise, this remains a treatment for people who have already developed cancer and not a preventative for the general population.

— Mike McRae October 25, New Atlas, 26 Oct. 2026
His promise at the time was to provide everyone with a roof over their head and three meals a day while honoring agreements with foreign investors.

— Chiara Pizzimenti, Vanity Fair, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of promise

Browse Nearby Words

incumbencies

incumbency

incumbent

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Incumbency.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/incumbency. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of incumbency

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

grotesque

Popular in Grammar & Usage

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE

Popular

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes