Dictionary

bully pulpit en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˌbʊli ˈpʊlpɪt/ (General-American)
• /ˌbʊli ˈpʊlpɪt/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /-ˈpʌl-/ (General-American)
• /-ˈpʌl-/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /-ˈpəlpət/ (General-American)
• (General-American) audio

Etymology

From bully (“(US, slang) very good”) + pulpit (“raised desk, lectern, or platform for an orator or public speaker”), said to have been coined by the United States President Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919) who used the term to refer to his office, by which he meant a terrific platform from which one can advocate an agenda: see the 1909 quotation.

Meanings

1. (US) An advantageous position from which to express one's views, especially a political office.
   • But the 2024 year-end report has a much sharper message—with the Chief Justice using his bully pulpit to rail, quite aggressively, against four types of attacks on judicial independence[.] 2025 January 2, Steve Vladeck, “Bonus 115: The Chief Justice's Tone-Deaf Year-End Report”, in One First:
   • He [Theodore Roosevelt] was sitting at his desk reading to us his forthcoming Message. He had just finished a paragraph of a distinctly ethical character, when he suddenly stopped, swung round in his swivel chair, and said: "I suppose my critics will call that preaching, but I have got such a bully pulpit!" 1909 February 27, Lyman Abbott, “A Review of President Roosevelt’s Administration: Its Influence on Patriotism and Public Service”, in Lyman Abbott, editor, The Outlook, volume XCI, New York, N.Y.: The Outlook Company, →OCLC, page 430, column 1:
   • “The only option is to continue raising the issue, making it a political fight and using the bully pulpit to get more attention,” the [White House] source said. 2024, unnamed source, quoted in: James Oliphant, Joseph Ax, and Bad Brooks, Republicans scramble to contain backlash from IVF court ruling, Reuters, published in: The Christian Science Monitor, February 26 2024
   • At a leadership level, Ms. Hurst wishes that lawmakers would use their bully pulpit to convene constituents for more of the sorts of conversations that took place in Portugal. 2024 July 10, Stephen Humphries, Alfredo Sosa, “Stick, meet Carrot. How Portland police and activists teamed up to fight addiction.”, in The Christian Science Monitor:
   • In his final days in office, Mr. Biden has used both his presidential power and his bully pulpit. 2025 January 16, Linda Feldmann, “Joe Biden served just one term. What will his legacy be?”, in The Christian Science Monitor:

Forms

wikipedia: Theodore Roosevelt