fullback

noun

full·​back ˈfu̇l-ˌbak 

1

: an offensive football back used primarily for line plunges and blocking

2

: a primarily defensive player usually stationed nearest the defended goal (as in soccer or field hockey)

Examples of fullback in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

As McDonald heads to IR, fullback Ben VanSumeren has been promoted to the active 53-man roster. — Pete Sweeney, Kansas City Star, 16 Sep. 2026

The Giants ran a modified version of the tush push, with 300-pound fullback Pat Ricard motioning behind Dart to help the quarterback surge forward on his sneaks. — Dan Duggan, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026

Tuggle made the roster and played the following season on special teams before being promoted to starting fullback after Rob Carpenter was injured. — Mya Copeland, Variety, 14 Sep. 2026

Just days before the Week 1 matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles in 2025, the team signed fullback Hunter Luepke to an extension. — Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1875, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for fullback

• aback
• attack
• backpack
• backtrack
• bareback
• blackjack
• brownback
• buyback
• callback
• cognac
• comeback
• cutback

Kids Definition

fullback

noun

full·​back ˈfu̇l-ˌbak 

1

: a football back who usually lines up between the halfbacks

2

: a mainly defensive player (as in soccer or field hockey) who usually plays near the goal to be defended