# Incumbent: Definition, Meanings in Contexts, and Examples

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> **Definition**
>
> The term "incumbent" refers to the holder of an office or post within a corporation or government.

## What Is an Incumbent?

An incumbent is an individual who currently holds a set of responsibilities within a specific office as part of a corporation or within a branch of the government. As the incumbent, this person has an obligation to the position or office they hold. All incumbents of an organization, such as directors and officers, are listed on an incumbency certificate.

### Key Takeaways

*   In business and government terms, an incumbent is an individual who currently holds responsibilities or a position within a corporation or a branch of the government.
*   Companies list their leaders on an incumbency certificate. These leaders include directors, officers, and may also include certain shareholders.
*   The term "incumbent" can be used in any context when an entity occupying a position can be replaced by another entity. The entity occupying the position is the incumbent.  
    

## The Various Definitions of Incumbent

"Incumbent" is used most commonly to refer to a person who has acquired a specific role and is at risk of losing that role to another. This could be a position in a specific office, such as one that's part of a company or an elected official. This person has certain responsibilities that come with their position. Business leaders such as [chief executive officers (CEOs)](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/ceo.asp) are incumbents of a company, while an in-office senator is a political incumbent.

"Incumbent" can also be used to refer to:

*   The duties a certain individual is required to perform or an obligation they must satisfy
*   A successful company with a large portion of its industry's market share
*   A business's standings and relationships to others in its industry

Business leaders are listed on an incumbency certificate. The leaders are generally current directors, officers, and may also include [principal shareholders](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/p/principal-shareholder.asp). This certificate is considered an official company document.

## Examples of Incumbents

The term incumbent can be used for many purposes—here are three examples:

*   In the 2024 presidential election, Donald Trump initially ran against Joe Biden. Both had occupied the president's office at different times, but Biden was president at the time of the election. This made him the incumbent in the election.
*   A very successful business generally has many competitors. Each attempts to financially outperform the other to become the top-performing business in the industry and gain more investor attention and investment. The business that holds the majority of an industry's market share is the incumbent in the competition for investor capital, because it can be knocked from its position by another business.
*   The Pinewood Derby is a Cub Scout program where scouts craft small wooden cars to race down sloped tracks. A scout who won the derby the previous year returns to face multiple other scouts wanting to win the derby. The returning champion is the derby's incumbent.  
    

## Which Is an Incumbent in Government?

Government officials are elected or appointed to office. They can be replaced by a vote or removed by the person who appointed them. If they are at risk of losing their position, such as during an election, they are the incumbent candidate for that position.

## What Is the Meaning of Incumbent in Business?

The people who hold positions in a business are incumbents, and business leaders are listed on an incumbency certificate.

## What Is an Incumbent Example?

A sports team that won the championship in the previous year and made it to the championship game again the next year is considered the incumbent.

## The Bottom Line

An incumbent is an entity that holds a specific position. Most commonly, "incumbent" is used to refer to a person holding a current office in politics during an election; however, it also applies to positions in a corporation, relationships in business, as well as a company that is the market leader of an industry.

> **Article Sources**
>
> 1.  Thomson Reuters Practical Law. “[Incumbency Certificate](https://content.next.westlaw.com/practical-law/document/I59dd10ccef2a11e28578f7ccc38dcbee/Incumbency-Certificate?viewType=FullText&transitionType=Default&contextData=%28sc.Default%29).”