Definition of linebacker
: a defensive football player who lines up immediately behind the line of scrimmage to make tackles on running plays through the line or defend against short passes
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Recent Examples of linebacker from the Web
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Ingram, a linebacker for the team formerly known as the San Diego Chargers, drops a reference to his current contractual status.
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There have been disappointments from Alabama, such as offensive linemen D.J. Fluker and Chance Warmack and linebacker Rolando McClain, who has alternated between productive play on the field and legal trouble keeping him off it.
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Jordan Blackwell, the 18-year-old who died, was a rising senior in high school and a football linebacker who had already started receiving interest from colleges.
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Jordan Blackwell played linebacker for the Brookhaven High football team.
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Grapevine (10-2 in 2016) is replacing its entire defensive line and linebacker corps.
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One of my father’s favorite players, the late linebacker Lewis Bush, played for the Chargers against Greg Bishop’s Giants.
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The concert also features Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Dee Ford, who will demonstrate his passion for music by playing some jazz piano.
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The guy who finished second, a linebacker named Junior Seau, received 12.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'linebacker'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
1931
First Known Use of linebacker
1931
LINEBACKER Defined for English Language Learners
linebacker
playDefinition of linebacker for English Language Learners
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American football : a player on the defending team whose usual position is a short distance in back of the line of scrimmage
Learn More about linebacker
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See words that rhyme with linebacker Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about linebacker
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