1
a
: a list of players taking part in a game (as of baseball)
the starting lineup
b
: the players on such a list
2
a
: an alignment (as in entertainment or politics) of persons or things having a common purpose, distinction, or bond
the show's star-studded lineup
b
: line sense 11
the new lineup of fall fashions
c
: a television programming schedule
tonight's lineup of programs
3
: a line of persons arranged especially for inspection or for identification by police
was asked to pick her attacker out of a lineup
lined up; lining up; lines up
1
: to assume an orderly linear arrangement
line up for inspection
2
: to align oneself
he lined up with the liberals against the bill
Examples of lineup in a Sentence
Noun
The team has a powerful lineup.
The networks all had different lineups for the new season.
She was asked to pick her attacker out of a lineup.
Recent Examples on the Web
Peter Debruge, Variety, 11 Apr. 2024
Still, facing a Twins lineup that entered the night with an MLB-worst .175 batting average, the highly deceptive and precisely commanded stuff that Glasnow was throwing looked unhittable all the same.
—Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2024
With Herro and Martin moving into the starting lineup because of the Heat’s injuries, the bench rotation looked a little different.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 10 Apr. 2024
Celebrities Pay Tribute to the 'All-Time Great' The Tonight Show revealed the episode’s lineup on April 4, consisting of O’Brien, Nicole Richie and musical guest Benson Boone.
O’Brien hosted the NBC show from 2009 to 2010 but was unceremoniously laid off when predecessor Jay Leno decided to return.
—Brendan Le, Peoplemag, 10 Apr. 2024
The lineup also includes Kool John, Claire Write and Blame My Youth.
—Hanh Truong, Sacramento Bee, 9 Apr. 2024
The lineup for that features André 3000, Jill Scott, and Lil Wayne, who will perform in a special New Orleans celebration backed by the Roots.
—Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 9 Apr. 2024
So Thommy moved out wide, while the lineup shifted around him.
—Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 29 Mar. 2024
Ham made his first big lineup switch of the season, bringing Austin Reaves off the bench, and Cam Reddish, who just missed a huge shot in Miami two games before, drilled multiple big threes in the first notable fourth-quarter comeback of the year.
—Dan Woike, Los Angeles Times, 29 Mar. 2024
Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Apr. 2024
This lined up the perfect finish for Rey, who threw himself on top of Escobar to clinch the win.
—Charlotte Phillipp, Peoplemag, 7 Apr. 2024
Friday: Big banks line up to report their quarterly earnings: JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, BlackRock, and Citigroup, are all up before the market opens.
—Susan Howson, Quartz, 7 Apr. 2024
The year that introduced us to Ciara’s Goodies and Usher’s Confessions also brought us now-classic qualified films that sent us lining up for the multiplex and later took many a spin in our DVD players after school.
—Rivea Ruff, Essence, 5 Apr. 2024
Cars lined up in droves there, bearing license plates from as far away as California and Michigan.
—Longreads, 4 Apr. 2024
Everyone would line up, hack off some giraffe meat with a machete, and bring it back to their home.
—Cnt Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Apr. 2024
Well, during a total solar eclipse, the moon passes across the sun, lining up perfectly to cover everything but the sun’s outer rim, the corona.
—Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Apr. 2024
After the kicking team informs officials of their plans, the two teams will line up in traditional onside kick positions.
—USA TODAY, 26 Mar. 2024
Noun
The lineup was unveiled by Cannes Film Festival chief Thierry Fremaux and president Iris Knobloch on Thursday at the UGC Normandie theater in Paris, where impatient French and international film journalists gathered.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 11 Apr. 2024
Still, facing a Twins lineup that entered the night with an MLB-worst .175 batting average, the highly deceptive and precisely commanded stuff that Glasnow was throwing looked unhittable all the same.
—Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2024
With Herro and Martin moving into the starting lineup because of the Heat’s injuries, the bench rotation looked a little different.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 10 Apr. 2024
Celebrities Pay Tribute to the 'All-Time Great' The Tonight Show revealed the episode’s lineup on April 4, consisting of O’Brien, Nicole Richie and musical guest Benson Boone.
O’Brien hosted the NBC show from 2009 to 2010 but was unceremoniously laid off when predecessor Jay Leno decided to return.
—Brendan Le, Peoplemag, 10 Apr. 2024
The lineup also includes Kool John, Claire Write and Blame My Youth.
—Hanh Truong, Sacramento Bee, 9 Apr. 2024
The lineup for that features André 3000, Jill Scott, and Lil Wayne, who will perform in a special New Orleans celebration backed by the Roots.
—Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 9 Apr. 2024
So Thommy moved out wide, while the lineup shifted around him.
—Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 29 Mar. 2024
Ham made his first big lineup switch of the season, bringing Austin Reaves off the bench, and Cam Reddish, who just missed a huge shot in Miami two games before, drilled multiple big threes in the first notable fourth-quarter comeback of the year.
—Dan Woike, Los Angeles Times, 29 Mar. 2024
Verb
Things line up even better the following week, when both the softball and baseball teams play at home.
—Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Apr. 2024
This lined up the perfect finish for Rey, who threw himself on top of Escobar to clinch the win.
—Charlotte Phillipp, Peoplemag, 7 Apr. 2024
Friday: Big banks line up to report their quarterly earnings: JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, BlackRock, and Citigroup, are all up before the market opens.
—Susan Howson, Quartz, 7 Apr. 2024
The year that introduced us to Ciara’s Goodies and Usher’s Confessions also brought us now-classic qualified films that sent us lining up for the multiplex and later took many a spin in our DVD players after school.
—Rivea Ruff, Essence, 5 Apr. 2024
Cars lined up in droves there, bearing license plates from as far away as California and Michigan.
—Longreads, 4 Apr. 2024
Everyone would line up, hack off some giraffe meat with a machete, and bring it back to their home.
—Cnt Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Apr. 2024
Well, during a total solar eclipse, the moon passes across the sun, lining up perfectly to cover everything but the sun’s outer rim, the corona.
—Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Apr. 2024
After the kicking team informs officials of their plans, the two teams will line up in traditional onside kick positions.
—USA TODAY, 26 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lineup.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
Noun
1889, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Verb
1864, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1
Phrases Containing lineup
Dictionary Entries Near lineup
Cite this Entry
“Lineup.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lineup. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
lineup
1 of 2 noun
line·up
ˈlī-ˌnəp 
1
: a line of persons arranged especially for identification by police
2
a
: a list of players taking part in a game (as baseball)
b
: the players on such a list
line up
2 of 2 verb(ˈ)lī-ˈnəp
1
: to come together or arrange in a line or rows
line up for inspection
2
: to put into alignment
line up the edges so they are even
line up the decimal points before adding or subtracting
3
: to arrange for
lined up support for the candidate
lined up a summer job
Legal Definition
lineup
noun
line·up
: a line of persons assembled by police especially for possible identification of a suspect by a witness to a crime compare showup
More from Merriam-Webster on lineup
Nglish: Translation of lineup for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of lineup for Arabic Speakers
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share