coach

1 of 2

noun

often attributive
1
a
: a large usually closed four-wheeled horse-drawn carriage having doors in the sides and an elevated seat in front for the driver
On special occasions the queen rides in a gold coach.
b
: a railroad passenger car intended primarily for day travel
Smoking is not permitted in the train's coaches.
c
: bus sense 1a
toured the city by coach
e
: a 2-door enclosed automobile
f
: a class of passenger air transportation at a lower fare than first class
We reserved two seats in coach.
2
[from the concept that the tutor conveys the student through examinations]
a
: a private tutor
hired a coach to help her daughter prepare for the test
b
: one who instructs or trains
an acting coach
a birth coach
especially : one who instructs players in the fundamentals of a sport and directs team strategy
a football coach
a pitching coach
a gymnastics coach

Illustration of coach

Illustration of coach
  • coach 1a

coach

2 of 2

verb

coached; coaching; coaches

intransitive verb

1
: to go in a coach
2
: to instruct, direct, or prompt as a coach
When an injury ended his playing career, he decided to coach.

transitive verb

1
: to train intensively (as by instruction and demonstration)
coach pupils
The lawyer coached the witness.
2
: to act as coach of
coach tennis
coach a team
coachable adjective
coacher noun

Examples of coach in a Sentence

Noun a track star who has been working with a new coach In those days, people usually traveled long distances in coaches. Verb He coaches the tennis star. He has coached the team for several years. She coached the U.S. gymnastics team at the Olympics. He has coached at the college level for many years. The lawyer admitted to coaching the witness. It was clear that the witness had been coached by her lawyer on how to answer the questions.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Visiting celebrities including Kevin Hart and President Barack Obama have eaten there, along with local theater groups, athletes and their coaches. Katrina Wilson, Charlotte Observer, 24 Apr. 2024 The head coach of PSL Dallas, Bart Andrus, has been coaching football at various levels since 1981 and has NFL experience as an assistant with the Tennessee Titans and the St. Louis Rams. Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Apr. 2024 Since the National Federation of High Schools officially approved the shot clock in 2021 and other states began implementing it in 2022-23, Colorado basketball coaches and fans have been pushing for the shot clock here. Kyle Newman, The Denver Post, 23 Apr. 2024 Players and coaches know this approach can’t happen going forward if the Sharks want to build this the right way. Curtis Pashelka, The Mercury News, 23 Apr. 2024 There are four different fares: standard coach, standard dining, premium dining, and superior dining. Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 23 Apr. 2024 Challengers follows Zendaya’s Tashi, a tennis player turned coach, who turns her husband, Faist’s Art, into a grand slam champion, according to its description. Christy Piña, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 Apr. 2024 The Bengals quarterback and head coach answered a few post-game questions from Simpson, who at the time was a broadcaster for NBC. Scott Wartman, The Enquirer, 12 Apr. 2024 Sign up for Educating Arizona,a new education newsletter from The Arizona Republic In Washington Elementary, Rich Morris, an administrative coach, said that the reasons behind many absences are unreported. The Arizona Republic, 12 Apr. 2024
Verb
Aside from a one-season hiatus in the 1990s to coach the U.S. women’s national team to a gold medal at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, VanDerveer was a fixture on the Stanford sideline. Joseph Dycus, The Mercury News, 11 Apr. 2024 St Fleur, who primarily coaches women of color, said many of her clients have the right credentials and experience for certain jobs but aren't being hired. Joe Hernandez, NPR, 11 Apr. 2024 And now arguably as good at the craft of coaching as anybody, woman or man, college or pro, any sport. Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 9 Apr. 2024 In Challengers, Zendaya plays a tennis prodigy who pivots to coaching after a career-ending injury. Sam Reed, Glamour, 8 Apr. 2024 Staley, who has been in coaching for more than two decades, also has extensive Final Four experience as a player, leading her Virginia team in the late '80s and early '90s to three Final Fours and one title game. NBC News, 7 Apr. 2024 The West, coached by USD’s Steve Lavin and his staff, won this year’s game 87-75. Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Apr. 2024 McNeese State gave Wade the chance to return to coaching this season. Bob Holt, arkansasonline.com, 6 Apr. 2024 Peterson, the former Brooklyn Nets assistant general manager, explained that in a lot of ways, he’s been searching for head coaching candidates for the last decade. Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 3 Apr. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'coach.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English coche, from Middle French, from German Kutsche, from Hungarian kocsi (szekér), literally, wagon from Kocs, Hungary

First Known Use

Noun

1556, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1608, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of coach was in 1556

Dictionary Entries Near coach

Cite this Entry

“Coach.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coach. Accessed 27 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

coach

1 of 2 noun
1
a
: a large usually closed four-wheeled carriage that has a raised seat in front for the driver and is drawn by horses
b
: a railroad passenger car without berths
d
: a class of passenger air transportation at a lower fare than first class
2
a
: a private tutor
b
: a person who instructs or trains a performer or team
a football coach

coach

2 of 2 verb
: to act as a coach

More from Merriam-Webster on coach

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