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President of the United States

President of the United States

28 2.0
Leader of the United States who represents the country and runs the federal government
  • proper noun
  • /ˈprɛzɪdənt əv ðə juˈnaɪtɪd steɪts/
  • Formal
translation icon : presidente de los Estados Unidos
  • This afternoon, the President of the United States addressed the nation on television.
  • Acting President of the United States
  • Vice President of the United States

I'll be running for president of the United States.

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Examples

  • The President of the United States has expressed doubts about the safety of youth football.

    Academic text (2013)
  • Not since Theodore Roosevelt had a President of the United States been so closely involved in forest management issues.

    Academic text (2018)
  • You are now connected with the President of the United States.

  • All right, you ready to meet the President of the United States?

  • Because if it can put us ahead again, the President of the United States needs to know about it.

  • I received a direct message on Twitter from our very own President of the United States.

    Blog text (31)
  • I'm the President of the United States.

  • And that is what Barack faced on day one as President of the United States.

    Blog text (33)
  • Watergate was a criminal act with criminal intent committed by the President of the United States.

    Blog text (19)
  • In the name of the President of the United States, a Distinguished Unit Citation has been conferred upon the all-Negro 332nd Fighter Group for outstanding performance of duty in conflict with the enemy.

Synonyms

President
vsPresident of the United States
  • US
2.3

The elected leader of the United States who runs the national government

is the formal constitutional description stressing both state and government duties
Chief Executive
vsPresident of the United States
  • Formal
77 5.5

An official title for the US President as the leader who runs the government

functions as the broader political office combining representative and governmental roles
commander in chief
vsPresident of the United States
  • Formal
64 4.9

The person with highest authority over a country's armed forces

covers that military authority but also includes wider civil leadership of government and nation
head of state
vsPresident of the United States
  • Formal
49 3.5

A country's main public leader, like a president or king

is more specific, adding executive and federal responsibilities to that representative role
prez
vsPresident of the United States
  • Slang
3 8.6

A person who leads a group, like a club or council

is the formal constitutional office name rather than a casual or slang reference
United States President
vsPresident of the United States
  • Formal
3 3.5

An elected leader of the United States who runs the national government and speaks for the country

is the constitutional office combining national leadership government control and federal executive power
chief of state
vsPresident of the United States
1 5.4

The main public representative of a country who may also lead the government

is the same concept but stresses combined representative and federal executive duties

Surface Forms

Morphology

President + of + the + united + state

The phrase is fully compositional: 'President' (chief executive) combined with the locative/genitive phrase 'of the United States' specifies which country. The 'X of Y' possession/association pattern and the transparent compound 'United' + 'States' to name a country are cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows the parts will readily infer the meaning.

Etymology

The name President of the United States joins President (one who 'presides' or leads) and United States (the group of states). Picture a person sitting at the head of a big meeting and making decisions for everyone; that's why it means the nation's head and chief leader.