incumbent
/ɪnˈkʌm.bənt/ (bre, ipa) · /ɪnˈkʌm.bənt/ (ame, ipa) · /in-ˈkəm-bənt/ (ame, mw) · /ɪnˈkʌmbənt/ (bre, ipa) · /ɪnˈkʌmbənt/ (ame, ipa)
incumbent — adjective
- incumbentpositive
- more incumbentcomparative
- most incumbentsuperlative
1. currently holding a particular official position, for example in government or a
currently holding a particular official position, for example in government or a formal organization
The incumbent mayor of Kaohsiung decided not to run for another term.
incumbent + [title] + of [place]
Evelyn had a clear advantage over her opponent because she was the incumbent senator.
be the incumbent + [title]
The incumbent government raised taxes despite promising not to during the campaign.
Amira was not afraid to challenge the incumbent candidate on her environmental policies.
Voters sometimes support the incumbent party simply because they distrust change.
- former
refers to someone who held the position in the past but no longer does
文法句型
incumbent + [title/position noun]
用法筆記
This sense always appears immediately before a noun naming the position held (president, mayor, government, etc.). It cannot be used as a predicative adjective alone.
常見錯誤
2. means that a particular person is morally bound to do something — for example, a
means that a particular person is morally bound to do something — for example, a doctor's duty to tell the truth to a patient, or a parent's obligation to protect their child
It is incumbent upon the school board to provide equal opportunities for all students.
it is incumbent upon [authority] to [verb phrase]
Nora felt it was incumbent on her to tell the truth about what she saw.
As team leader, Gabriel considered it incumbent upon himself to motivate the staff.
It is incumbent on every driver to follow the traffic rules and keep others safe.
The charity believes it is incumbent upon wealthy nations to help those in need.
- obligatory
stronger and more legalistic; used for rules or laws rather than moral duty
- binding
implies a formal or legal requirement rather than a moral one
- required
more neutral and less formal; does not carry the same moral weight
- optional
suggests that something may be chosen freely and is not required
文法句型
it is incumbent upon/on [someone] to [do something]
用法筆記
Frequently occurs in the fixed construction 'it is incumbent upon/on [someone] to [do something].' The subject of the sentence is usually dummy 'it,' and the real subject is the infinitive clause. 'Upon' and 'on' are interchangeable, though 'upon' is more formal.
常見錯誤
incumbent — noun
- incumbentsingular
- incumbentsplural
1. a person who currently holds a particular official role, especially in politics
a person who currently holds a particular official role, especially in politics or government
The incumbent won by defeating three challengers from smaller parties.
Bilal decided to run for city council though the incumbent had strong local support.
run against the incumbent
It is very difficult to unseat a popular incumbent during a period of economic growth.
Two challengers argued that the incumbent had failed to keep his promises to local families.
Charities often struggle when a new minister replaces an incumbent who supported their work.
- officeholder
more neutral and less tied to election contexts; can describe any official role
- office-bearer
chiefly British; used in formal or organizational contexts
- sitting member
British English, used specifically for current members of parliament
- challenger
a person who competes against the incumbent for a position
- candidate
any person seeking a position; broader than 'challenger'
文法句型
the incumbent
an incumbent
[adjective] incumbent
用法筆記
Common in election news coverage. The noun is almost always used with 'the' (the incumbent) to refer to the current office holder in a specific race. 'Incumbent' contrasts with 'challenger' — the person trying to take the position.