defenseman

noun

de·​fense·​man di-ˈfen(t)s-mən How to pronounce defenseman (audio)
-ˌman
: a player in a sport (such as hockey) who is assigned to a defensive zone or position

Examples of defenseman in a Sentence

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.
Dallas defenseman Miro Heiskanen made an early exit from the Stars' first-round playoff preview matchup against the Minnesota Wild on Thursday. R.j. Coyle, Dallas Morning News, 10 Apr. 2026 The Stars’ star defenseman didn’t return to the game, with the playoffs nine days away. Michael Russo, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2026 On a Ducks breakout, Sharks defenseman Nick Leddy tried to pinch down on winger Chris Kreider in the Anaheim zone. Curtis Pashelka, Mercury News, 10 Apr. 2026 But Dallas answered a short time later, with Colin Blackwell making a nice move to elude Wild defenseman Brock Faber, then zipping a shot to cut Minnesota’s lead to one. Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 10 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for defenseman

Word History

First Known Use

1877, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of defenseman was in 1877

Cite this Entry

“Defenseman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/defenseman. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

defenseman

noun
de·​fense·​man -mən How to pronounce defenseman (audio)
-ˌman
: a player in a sport who is assigned to a defensive zone or position
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster