switchboard

noun

switch·​board ˈswich-ˌbȯrd How to pronounce switchboard (audio)
: an apparatus (as in a telephone exchange) consisting of a panel on which are mounted electric switches so arranged that a number of circuits may be connected, combined, and controlled

Examples of switchboard in a Sentence

She used to work as a switchboard operator.
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.
Think of the Zero Trust Exchange as a modern-day switchboard. Zeus Kerravala, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 2025 Benjamin Velez, 32, jogged up to the crowd with his 1-year-old daughter, Wynter, fresh from working an overnight shift as a switchboard operator and receptionist. Alexis Benveniste, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2025 Police believed the caller had prime knowledge of the abductions, but the call was disconnected when a switchboard operator attempted to transfer it to investigators. Raja Krishnamoorthi, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Apr. 2025 The nuns who operate the Vatican’s switchboard are fielding a growing number of calls with questions like that as the pope remains hospitalized in Rome. Giovanna Dell’orto, Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for switchboard

Word History

First Known Use

1873, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of switchboard was in 1873

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Switchboard.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/switchboard. Accessed 24 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

switchboard

noun
switch·​board -ˌbō(ə)rd How to pronounce switchboard (audio)
-ˌbȯ(ə)rd
: a device (as in a telephone exchange) consisting of a panel on which are mounted electric switches so arranged that a number of circuits may be connected, combined, and controlled

More from Merriam-Webster on switchboard

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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