benchwarmer

noun

bench·​warm·​er ˈbench-ˌwȯr-mər How to pronounce benchwarmer (audio)
: a reserve player on an athletic team

Examples of benchwarmer in a Sentence

I played a little, but mostly I was a benchwarmer.
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.
The Frenchman had fallen out of favor over the course of the year, going from a regular starter to benchwarmer before being left off the team sheet altogether for the past two matches. Braidon Nourse, Denver Post, 19 July 2025 But here’s where things got interesting: Manganiello offered the benchwarmers a secret deal. Laura Bradley, Vulture, 25 Feb. 2025 By playing the benchwarmers Sunday in order to give the starters what is essentially a bye week, McVay was sending two separate messages, both of which powerfully illustrate what this organization has become in their nine years since returning to town. Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times, 6 Jan. 2025 If the celeb haul in Paris is our best representation of American popular culture, here’s a list of who’s who (or qui est qui) at this year’s games, ranging from power player to benchwarmer. Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 31 July 2024 See All Example Sentences for benchwarmer

Word History

First Known Use

1892, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of benchwarmer was in 1892

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Cite this Entry

“Benchwarmer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/benchwarmer. Accessed 2 Aug. 2025.

Kids Definition

benchwarmer

noun
bench·​warm·​er ˈbench-ˌwȯr-mər How to pronounce benchwarmer (audio)
: a reserve player on a sports team
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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