defenseman

noun

de·​fense·​man di-ˈfen(t)s-mən How to pronounce defenseman (audio)
-ˌman
: a player in a sport (such as hockey) who is assigned to a defensive zone or position

Examples of defenseman in a Sentence

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.
In one corner, Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Jamie Drysdale downplayed the significance of playing in his former home rink for the first time since he was traded, along with a 2025 second-round pick, from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for young forward Cutter Gauthier on Jan. 9, 2024. Kevin Kurz, The Athletic, 28 Dec. 2024 Ovechkin suffered the injury in a shin-to-shin collision on Nov. 18 with Utah Hockey Club defenseman Jamie McBain. David Faris, Newsweek, 28 Dec. 2024 And when Johansson was caught out of the net trying to clear the puck, defenseman Nick Perbix saved him by preventing Tomas Nosek from scoring into an empty net. Eduardo A. Encina, Orlando Sentinel, 27 Dec. 2024 Joel Kiviranta and Logan O’Connor both put home rebounds of shots by defensemen in the opening 4:30 of the final period to cut Buffalo’s lead to 4-3 and give the Avs a real chance at the comeback. Corey Masisak, The Denver Post, 3 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for defenseman 

Word History

First Known Use

1877, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of defenseman was in 1877

Dictionary Entries Near defenseman

Cite this Entry

“Defenseman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/defenseman. Accessed 6 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

defenseman

noun
de·​fense·​man -mən How to pronounce defenseman (audio)
-ˌman
: a player in a sport who is assigned to a defensive zone or position
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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