quarterback

1 of 2

noun

quar·​ter·​back ˈkwȯ(r)-tər-ˌbak How to pronounce quarterback (audio)
1
: an offensive back in football who usually lines up behind the center, calls the signals, and directs the offensive play of the team
2
: one who directs and leads

quarterback

2 of 2

verb

quarterbacked; quarterbacking; quarterbacks

transitive verb

1
: to direct the offensive play of
quarterback a football team
2
: to give executive direction to : boss
quarterbacked the original buying syndicateTime

intransitive verb

: to play quarterback

Examples of quarterback in a Sentence

Verb He quarterbacked his high school team. She quarterbacked the company's latest ad campaign.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Winston becomes the most experienced quarterback on the Giants' roster, joining former undrafted free agent Tommy DeVito, the only other quarterback on the team. Jackson Thompson, Fox News, 22 Mar. 2025 While Stanford featured a carousel of quarterback troubles the past two seasons, Ayomanor still managed 60-plus catch seasons with at least 831 yards receiving and six touchdowns. Kambui Bomani, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025
Verb
Toney’s quarterback at American Heritage, Dia Bell, suffered a season-ending ankle injury in the playoffs, so Toney moved to quarterback and led the Patriots to a championship. Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 13 Mar. 2025 In 2008, Cassel quarterbacked the Patriots to an 11-5 record when Brady suffered a season-ending knee injury in the opener. Tim Graham, The Athletic, 14 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for quarterback

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1879, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1892, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of quarterback was in 1879

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Quarterback.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quarterback. Accessed 27 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

quarterback

noun
quar·​ter·​back
ˈkwȯ(r)t-ər-ˌbak
: an offensive football back who calls the signals and directs the offensive play of the team
quarterback verb

More from Merriam-Webster on quarterback

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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