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: an official who assists a referee (as in football, tennis, or hockey) especially in determining if a ball, puck, or player is out-of-bounds or offside
Examples of linesman in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The bulk of the game was played with a three-person officiating crew, after linesman Steve Barton was injured and left the game in the first period.
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Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 25 Jan. 2026
To the crowd’s disappointment, Kastelic lost his balance before any real shots were thrown and the linesmen stepped in to end it.
—Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 23 Jan. 2026
Foligno tried to fight Kesselring in response, but the linesmen wouldn’t allow it after the goal, and each got unsportsmanlike conduct penalties.
—Michael Russo, New York Times, 17 Jan. 2026
Binnington would give the puck to the linesman.
—Jacob Lev, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for linesman
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Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 25 Jan. 2026
To the crowd’s disappointment, Kastelic lost his balance before any real shots were thrown and the linesmen stepped in to end it.
—Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 23 Jan. 2026
Foligno tried to fight Kesselring in response, but the linesmen wouldn’t allow it after the goal, and each got unsportsmanlike conduct penalties.
—Michael Russo, New York Times, 17 Jan. 2026
Binnington would give the puck to the linesman.
—Jacob Lev, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for linesman
Cite this Entry
“Linesman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/linesman. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
linesman
noun
lines·man
ˈlīnz-mən 
: an official who assists a referee in a game (as football or hockey)
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