stewardship

noun

stew·​ard·​ship ˈstü-ərd-ˌship How to pronounce stewardship (audio)
ˈstyü-;
ˈst(y)u̇rd-
1
: the office, duties, and obligations of a steward
2
: the conducting, supervising, or managing of something
especially : the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one's care
stewardship of natural resources

Did you know?

Good Stewardship

When stewardship first appeared in English during the Middle Ages, it functioned as a job description, denoting the office of a steward, or manager of a large household. Over the centuries, its range of reference spread to the oversight of law courts, employee unions, college dining halls, Masonic lodges, and many other organizations. In recent years, the long-established "management" sense of stewardship has evolved a positive meaning, “careful and responsible management.” This sense is commonly found nowadays in contexts such as “stewardship of the environment, the family business,” etc. It also occasionally appears as an adjective in phrases such as “stewardship fundraising" (that is, fundraising aimed at building good relationships with donors in order to keep them loyal).

Examples of stewardship in a Sentence

generally the dean left the day-to-day stewardship of the college to the assistant dean she believes that stewardship of the environment is everyone's responsibility
Recent Examples on the Web Muir thought the future was bright under Haase’s stewardship. Jon Wilner, The Mercury News, 7 Mar. 2024 Under Murphy's stewardship, irrigation canals were dug, and rocky desert earth gave way to prosperous citrus groves. Lux Butler, The Arizona Republic, 6 Mar. 2024 From eco-friendly initiatives to engaging with local communities, the sector is aligning with the global mandate for environmental stewardship while offering immersive, culturally rich experiences. Jim Dobson, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2024 All appeared to be in agreement that the final product represents the right balance between environmental stewardship, community member desires and the port’s commercial realities. Jennifer Van Grove, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Feb. 2024 That’s particularly appealing given that sustainability and environmental stewardship are increasingly top of mind for consumers. Popular Science, 21 Feb. 2024 Buzan explores the ways in which economics, technology, and politics shape and transform basic human institutions such as war, sovereignty, state formation, religion, diplomacy, nationalism, development, and environmental stewardship. Barry Buzan, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024 The Biennial is typically a love-it-or-hate-it affair, and this year’s looks to be a controversial one, tackling such hot-button issues as land stewardship, artificial intelligence, and identity. Julie Belcove, Robb Report, 24 Feb. 2024 Lindsey Stewart, director of investment stewardship research at Morningstar, tracks fund company voting patterns closely. Jeff Sommer, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'stewardship.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of stewardship was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near stewardship

Cite this Entry

“Stewardship.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stewardship. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

stewardship

noun
stew·​ard·​ship ˈst(y)ü-ərd-ˌship How to pronounce stewardship (audio)
ˈst(y)u̇(-ə)rd-
1
: the office and duties of a steward
2
: the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one's care
stewardship of our natural resources

More from Merriam-Webster on stewardship

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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