dodger
Americannoun
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a person who dodges.
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a shifty person, especially one who persistently evades a responsibility, as specified.
tax dodger; draft dodger.
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a leafhopper.
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a small handbill; throwaway.
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Chiefly South Midland and Southern U.S. corn dodger.
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Nautical. a shield, as of canvas, erected on a flying bridge to protect persons on watch from wind, flying spray, etc.
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Australian. a large slice, lump, or portion of food, especially of bread.
noun
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a person who evades or shirks
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a shifty dishonest person
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a canvas shelter, mounted on a ship's bridge or over the companionway of a sailing yacht to protect the helmsman from bad weather
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archaic a handbill
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informal food, esp bread
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of dodger
Explanation
A dodger is a rascally, sneaky person who lies and tricks their way out of responsibilities or obligations. A tax dodger, for example, schemes to avoid paying taxes. There are many kinds of dodgers — from fare dodgers who jump the subway turnstile rather than pay the fare, to draft dodgers who snuck to Canada during the Vietnam War, to avoid being drafted by the Army. The most famous dodger is probably the character in Charles Dickens' "Oliver Twist" known as The Artful Dodger, a skilled and savvy pickpocket. In the eighteenth century, it was common to use the word dodge to mean "swindle" or "play shifting tricks."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
While watching Monday night’s game, I emailed Dodger fan Edgar McGregor, the meteorologist who warned neighbors about the catastrophic weather conditions that resulted in the Eaton fire.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 18, 2026
But with Dodger Stadium, the marine layer angle jumped out at me because I’m always on the lookout for relatable ways to tell the climate change story.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 18, 2026
In Game 2 of the 2017 World Series, the temperature at Dodger Stadium topped 100 when the first pitch was thrown, and the ballpark was like a popcorn machine.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 18, 2026
But Swain has good news for Ohtani, for Dodger fans and for manufacturers of short-sleeved shirts.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 18, 2026
Dodger and Elwood running through the burning forest.
From "Two Degrees" by Alan Gratz
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
