Which term describes the act of leading a meeting?

• A. Preside
• B. Moderate
• C. Presiding Officer
• D. Chair

Answer: (A)

Leading a meeting is described by the verb preside. To preside over a meeting means to conduct its proceedings, call the meeting to order, manage the agenda, recognize speakers, and handle procedural questions. This captures the active role of guiding the entire session from start to finish.

The person who performs this function is the presiding officer, often referred to as the chair. So while you might hear someone say they “chair” a meeting, the act itself is described as presiding. Moderating focuses more on guiding discussion and balancing input, rather than running the whole meeting, and thus is not the precise term for the leadership act in this context.