# stewardship

/ˈstuɝdˌʃɪp/ (US) · /stjˈuːədʃˌɪp/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/stewardship
Updated: 2026-05-07

## Definition

the job of taking care of something important, like an organization, a piece of land, or a shared resource.

For teachers: the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one's care. Often used in environmental, financial, or organizational contexts to describe a duty toward future generations.

## Examples

- The local community took over the stewardship of the park.
- Effective corporate stewardship requires balancing short-term profits with the long-term health of the company's reputation.
- The indigenous groups argued that their ancestral stewardship of the rainforest was more effective at preventing deforestation than the government's recent legislative interventions.

## Usage notes

- Often paired with 'of' to indicate the resource or entity being managed.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.