bully pulpit

<font size="-1" face="arial, helvetica"> <p> <strong> <font color="#000066">Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for July 29, 2023 is:</font> </strong> </p> <p> <strong>bully pulpit</strong> &#149; \BULL-ee-PULL-pit\&nbsp; &#149; <em>noun</em><br /> <p><em>Bully pulpit</em> refers to an important public position that allows a person to express beliefs and opinions to many people. </p> <p>// She uses her position as a famous actress as a <em>bully pulpit</em> to advocate for human rights.</p> <p><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bully%20pulpit">See the entry ></a></p> </p> <p> <strong>Examples:</strong><br /> <p>“If you are a politician, you can respond to public protesters in a variety of ways. You can avoid getting too close to them. You can ignore them. You can use your <em>bully pulpit</em> to address their concerns from a position of strength. What you probably should not do is physically tussle with them or taunt them with childish facial gestures.” — Yair Rosenberg, <em>The Atlantic</em>, 8 June 2023 </p> </p> <p> <strong>Did you know?</strong><br /> <p><em>Bully pulpit</em> comes from the 26th U.S. president, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Theodore-Roosevelt">Theodore Roosevelt</a>, who observed that his time in office at the White House was a bully <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pulpit">pulpit</a> when he said, “I suppose my critics will call that preaching, but I have got such a bully pulpit!” For Roosevelt, <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bully#h3"><em>bully</em></a> was an adjective meaning “excellent” or “first-rate”—not today's familiar noun <em>bully</em> referring to an abusive meanie. Roosevelt understood the modern presidency’s power of persuasion and recognized that it gave the incumbent the opportunity to <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exhort">exhort</a>, instruct, or inspire. He took full advantage of his bully pulpit, speaking out about the