stewardship
Americannoun
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the position and duties of a steward, a person who acts as the surrogate of another or others, especially by managing property, financial affairs, an estate, etc.
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the responsible overseeing and protection of something considered worth caring for and preserving.
New regulatory changes will result in better stewardship of lands that are crucial for open space and wildlife habitat.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of stewardship
Explanation
Stewardship means the management or care of something, particularly the kind that works. If your company is making money, there’s probably been careful stewardship — or, a lot of luck. The sphere or responsibility of a steward (as in a manager or administrator), stewardship is often used to mean "the care, handling and management of resources." Your school requires stewardship to make sure its supplies aren’t stretched. Your clean water may be thanks to the stewardship of an environmental office. Though there is a steward on a ship to handle food and supplies, the ship in stewardship is not a seagoing vessel; it's just a suffix.
Vocabulary lists containing stewardship
Leadership Vocabulary
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Frightful's Mountain
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Fablehaven
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Fossil specimens analyzed in this study from Yukon Territory were recovered from the Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in and Vuntut Gwitchin Traditional Territories, with respect for their deep-rooted relationship to and stewardship of these lands.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 8, 2026
The congressional inquiry comes as Bass faces a tough reelection fight against Councilmember Nithya Raman, who has been sharply critical of Bass’ stewardship on homelessness.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 4, 2026
Listed in Hong Kong in 2009, the firm surged to a peak market value of more than $50 billion under the stewardship of Xu, also known as Hui Ka Yan.
From Barron's ● Aug. 20, 2026
At its best, “The Ark” underscores why humanity has always been enamored with the animal kingdom, and reminds us that our stewardship of it should be a labor of love.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026
James preserved the man’s appointment under his stewardship.
From "The Underground Railroad: A Novel" by Colson Whitehead
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
