quarterback

1 of 2

noun

quar·​ter·​back ˈkwȯ(r)-tər-ˌbak How to pronounce quarterback (audio)
Synonyms of quarterbacknext
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

quarterback

2 of 2

verb

quarterbacked; quarterbacking; quarterbacks

transitive verb

1
: to direct the offensive play of
quarterback a football team
2
: to give executive direction to : boss
quarterbacked the original buying syndicate.Time

intransitive verb

: 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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
The Cowboys were in the bottom half of the league in giveaways, top-five in quarterback pressures allowed and bottom-half in red zone touchdown percentage. Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 May 2026 The $55 million extension is in line with the top quarterbacks in the game, with only Dak Prescott earning more on average at $60 million for his deal. Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 22 May 2026
Verb
Thanks to quarterback Jack Plummer, the Orlando Storm (6-2) got the rushing game going Friday night and also clinched a UFL playoff spot in the process, scoring their most points of the season in a 31-24 victory at Dallas. Chris Hays, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 May 2026 That’s because former Giants quarterback Daniel Jones, who had a resurgent 2025 season with the Colts, is coming off a ruptured Achilles. Charlotte Carroll, New York Times, 15 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for quarterback

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1879, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1892, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of quarterback was in 1879

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Cite this Entry

“Quarterback.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quarterback. Accessed 23 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

quarterback

noun
quar·​ter·​back
ˈkwȯ(r)t-ər-ˌbak
: an offensive football back who calls the signals and directs the offensive play of the team
quarterback verb

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