quar·ter·back
ˈkwȯ(r)-tər-ˌbak 
1
: an offensive back in football who usually lines up behind the center, calls the signals, and directs the offensive play of the team
2
: one who directs and leads
quarterbacked; quarterbacking; quarterbacks
1
: to direct the offensive play of
quarterback a football team
2
: to give executive direction to : boss
… quarterbacked the original buying syndicate.—
Time
Time
: to play quarterback
Examples of quarterback in a Sentence
Verb
He quarterbacked his high school team.
She quarterbacked the company's latest ad campaign.
Recent Examples on the Web
Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 6 Feb. 2026
John Harbaugh is hiring another familiar face who has coached an MVP quarterback onto the Giants’ offensive staff.
—Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 6 Feb. 2026
David Eckert, Austin American Statesman, 7 Feb. 2026
Video of the shot went viral and quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ reaction initially had fans believing Kelce was definitely returning to the Chiefs.
—Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for quarterback
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Noun
McDaniels also helped lead quarterback Drake Maye to an impressive second-year ascension and MVP-caliber campaign.
—Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 6 Feb. 2026
John Harbaugh is hiring another familiar face who has coached an MVP quarterback onto the Giants’ offensive staff.
—Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 6 Feb. 2026
Verb
Knutson quarterbacked Smithson Valley to a state championship in 2025, completing 12 of his 21 passing attempts for 160 yards and a touchdown in the title game victory over Frisco Lone Star.
—David Eckert, Austin American Statesman, 7 Feb. 2026
Video of the shot went viral and quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ reaction initially had fans believing Kelce was definitely returning to the Chiefs.
—Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for quarterback
Cite this Entry
“Quarterback.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quarterback. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.
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