quarterback

1 of 2

noun

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

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 Steelers still need a legitimate starting quarterback, and the 2025 NFL season is coming up quickly. Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 May 2025 Brady was 251-82 as a starting quarterback and set all-time records for passing yards (89,214 yards) and touchdowns (649). Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 8 May 2025
Verb
Pindell, who quarterbacked the Huskies in 2017 and ’18, has spent the last three years of his professional career in Japan, where he’s put up big numbers and played in some of the country’s iconic sports arenas. Kels Dayton, Hartford Courant, 24 Apr. 2025 Will quarterback Cam Ward impress scouts enough to go No. 1 overall in next month's NFL Draft? Kevin Sabet, Newsweek, 24 Mar. 2025 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Quarterback.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quarterback. Accessed 17 May. 2025.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on quarterback

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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