armchair

noun arm·chair \ ˈärm-ˌcher \

Definition of armchair

:a chair with armrests

See armchair defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of armchair from the Web

Several residents appeared calm in their wheelchairs and armchairs.

— jacey fortin, New York Times, "Behind the Photo of the Older Women in Waist-High Water in Texas," 28 Aug. 2017
The town has given out 46 armchairs, counting Middleton's chair.

— bill leukhardt, courant.com, "Armchairs As Work Milestones Are A Town Tradition," 4 Aug. 2017
There are two matching armchairs and a 1950s Gio Ponti glass-and-wood coffee table, holding two vases, one filled with crimson peonies, the other blue hydrangeas.

— bob colacello, vanityfair.com, "How Raf Simons Captured the Calvin Klein Empire," 31 July 2017
Armchair-lovers rejoice as Amazon enters Singapore.

— Bloomberg.com, "Your Evening Briefing," 27 July 2017
The four-hour outings fly by, leaving you with a dozen open Wiki tabs and a thirst for more armchair sleuthing.

— marielle wakim, Los Angeles Magazine, "Best of LA: 92 of Our Favorite Things to Eat, Do, and Buy Right Now," 14 July 2017
Weatherproof sectional sofas, loungers, armchairs, and ottomans are made from a resin-rattan weave and topped with Sunbrella-upholstered cushions; vibrant all-weather striped pillows add color and personality. 81.

— marielle wakim, Los Angeles Magazine, "Best of LA: 92 of Our Favorite Things to Eat, Do, and Buy Right Now," 14 July 2017
The military arranged a sofa and two armchairs around a shackle point inside.

— carol rosenberg, miamiherald, "Guantánamo admiral wants to raze a prison facility for a base recreation spot," 14 July 2017
There are a lot of ways for studios, and theaters, to cover for that revenue loss—raising ticket prices, serving food to customers at their seats, offering more comfortable armchairs for a premium.

— david sims, The Atlantic, "Why Hollywood Should Pay Attention to Dunkirk," 10 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'armchair.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of armchair

1585

armchair

adjective

Definition of armchair

1 :remote from direct dealing with problems :theoretical rather than practical

armchair strategists

2 :sharing vicariously in another's experiences

an armchair traveler

See armchair defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of armchair from the Web

In his closing remarks, Herbert also accused prosecutors of armchair quarterbacking the shooting, making decisions from the safety of their office about what was a tense and dangerous situation.

— jason meisner, latimes.com, "Jury convicts Chicago officer of excessive force for firing 16 shots at car and wounding 2 teens," 29 Aug. 2017
Much like in Twain's time, the current political establishment is held in slight regard, now the target of social media, where armies of armchair pundits post or tweet keen or sharp as marble comments about the nation's political class.

— dennis hohenberger, Courant Community, "Mark Twain And The American Presidents," 25 Aug. 2017
Taaffe has been among many armchair QBs throughout the country dissecting Bortles in recent weeks.

— george diaz, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Blake Bortles, once a franchise QB, fights for NFL career," 24 Aug. 2017
Google Street View has taken armchair explorers to some of Earth's most exotic locations, from the ancient ruins of Angkor and Machu Picchu to the natural wonders of the Galapagos Islands and the Grand Canyon.

— ben panko, Smithsonian, "Explore the International Space Station With Google Street View," 21 July 2017
Inside, one encounters articles on Canadian soft power, Latin American soap operas, and Finnish domestic architecture: the casual reading of an armchair diplomat.

— kyle chayka, New Republic, "Can Monocle's globalist chic survive in an age of populism?," 27 June 2017
What's hot: The videos are short, informative, and easily digested by an armchair traveler or someone who wants to visit curious corners, bars, architecture, colorful historic hotels, bookstores, street art, and more.

— Philly.com, "Take a walking tour of cities without ever leaving home," 25 June 2017
Walking The Metacomet Trail SIMSBURY — Walking The Metacomet Trail, part of the armchair traveler series at Simsbury Public Library, 725 Hopmeadow St., will take place at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 20.

— Courant Community, "Community News For The Valley Edition," 12 June 2017
As any armchair detective or avid Investigation Discovery channel viewer can tell you, such grim scenarios are standard fare for true-crime television, fodder for an endless stream of whodunits flooding the market.

— lorraine ali, The Seattle Times, "‘The Keepers’ on Netflix digs deeper into the life of a homicide victim," 7 June 2017

First Known Use of armchair

1809

ARMCHAIR Defined for English Language Learners

armchair

noun

Definition of armchair for English Language Learners

: a chair with supports for your arms

armchair

adjective

Definition of armchair for English Language Learners

—used to describe people who like to read about or watch the dangerous or exciting activities of other people
—used to describe people who like to give opinions about matters they do not have to deal with themselves and do not have responsibility for