defenseman
noun
de·fense·man
di-ˈfen(t)s-mən 
-ˌman
: a player in a sport (such as hockey) who is assigned to a defensive zone or position
Examples of defenseman in a Sentence
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Depending on how active the San Jose Sharks are in NHL free agency and the trade market this summer, one or two spots on the 2026-27 roster could be available for defensemen who played mainly with the AHL’s Barracuda this past season.
—
Curtis Pashelka, Mercury News, 30 Apr. 2026
Tortorella continues to tweak his power play units, with Marner now down on the second unit and all three defensemen (Theodore, Rasmus Andersson and Noah Hanifin) seeing ice time with the man advantage.
—Jesse Granger, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2026
Mattias Ekholm has continued to be Edmonton’s most well-rounded defenseman while Jake Walman has been a welcome addition.
—Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 19 Apr. 2026
Corral Clarke? 23-year-old Brandt Clarke is the type of offensive defenseman who can change games.
—Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 18 Apr. 2026
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Curtis Pashelka, Mercury News, 30 Apr. 2026
Tortorella continues to tweak his power play units, with Marner now down on the second unit and all three defensemen (Theodore, Rasmus Andersson and Noah Hanifin) seeing ice time with the man advantage.
—Jesse Granger, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2026
Mattias Ekholm has continued to be Edmonton’s most well-rounded defenseman while Jake Walman has been a welcome addition.
—Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 19 Apr. 2026
Corral Clarke? 23-year-old Brandt Clarke is the type of offensive defenseman who can change games.
—Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 18 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for defenseman
Cite this Entry
“Defenseman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/defenseman. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
defenseman
noun
de·fense·man
-mən
-ˌman
: a player in a sport who is assigned to a defensive zone or position
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