lame duck

[leym duhk] / ˈleɪm ˈdʌk /

NOUN

elected official waiting to leave office

Synonyms

WEAK

crumbling power holdover incumbent loser weak administration weakling

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.

So there may not be any significant surprises from the Fed on Wednesday, especially now that Powell is essentially a lame duck.

From Barron's • Apr. 28, 2026

He’s also a lame duck and getting lamer.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 24, 2026

The historical record here may show that being a lame duck insulates a Fed chair from political pressures.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 19, 2026

Those bills passed the Senate in December, but they stalled in the House during a lame duck session that saw little progress on any issue.

From Salon • Sep. 15, 2025

One of the frequent difficulties in beginning a letter is that your answer is so long delayed that you begin with an apology, which is always a lame duck.

From Etiquette by Post, Emily