benchwarmer

Or bench warm·er,

[bench-wawr-mer]

noun

Sports.

1. a substitute who rarely gets to play in a game.

Word History and Origins

Origin of benchwarmer¹

First recorded in 1890–95; bench + warmer ( def. )

Example Sentences

The greatest moment by a Dodger benchwarmer in baseball history, a guy so embedded in the landscape of Los Angeles sports that he will be forever known simply by two abbreviated versions of his name...

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It is this admiration from teammates that has elevated Moss from an anonymous benchwarmer to the most important person on this team.

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The author, singling out Little, argued that being an occasional swing vote meant Little was a benchwarmer who lacked the courage “to take the new culture war by the horns.”

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Nine years later, he had helped lead the Dodgers to eight division championships and three World Series appearances while evolving from benchwarmer to legend with his accessibility, inclusivity and homespun charm.

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Plenty of players leave high-majors for low-majors, or even lower divisions, where they might go from benchwarmer to starter.

Read more on Seattle Times