backfield

noun

back·​field ˈbak-ˌfēld How to pronounce backfield (audio)
: the football players whose positions are behind the line of scrimmage
also : the positions themselves

Examples of backfield in a Sentence

a tackle made in the backfield The team has a strong backfield.
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.
After back-to-back breakout games against the Miami Dolphins and Dallas Cowboys, Dowdle supplanted Hubbard as the primary runner in the backfield. Charlotte Observer, 11 Jan. 2026 Sorsby gives the Red Raiders a top-tier dual threat quarterback out of the backfield. Selby Lopez, Dallas Morning News, 9 Jan. 2026 But coming off an ankle injury and in a timeshare with backfield mate Vidal limits Hampton’s appeal. Bill Reinhard, New York Daily News, 8 Jan. 2026 The 5-foot-9, 195-pound Brown joins a Texas backfield that is undergoing a significant makeover. Danny Davis, Austin American Statesman, 8 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for backfield

Word History

First Known Use

1897, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of backfield was in 1897

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Backfield.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/backfield. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.

Kids Definition

backfield

noun
back·​field -ˌfēld How to pronounce backfield (audio)
: the football players who line up behind the line of scrimmage
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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