deskbound

American  

[desk-bound] / ˈdɛskˌbaʊnd /

adjective

1. doing sedentary work; working exclusively at a desk.

2. unfamiliar with actualities or practical matters outside one's own job.

   deskbound executives who can't grasp production problems.

3. noncombatant.

   deskbound generals.

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Etymology

Origin of deskbound

First recorded in 1940–45; desk + -bound ¹

Example Sentences

That means the messy, bizarre field trips remain a rite of passage for young professionals in an otherwise deskbound field.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 7, 2026

Now, he’s back on duty, but to his chagrin, deskbound until he can complete more physical therapy.

From Washington Post • Jul. 28, 2021

Two deskbound detectives get more than they bargain for when they take on a seemingly minor case that may turn out to be New York’s biggest crime.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 26, 2019

Inside, hundreds of deskbound office workers do the work that is Guernsey’s lifeblood: hiding billions of dollars from the outside world.

From New York Times • Feb. 19, 2019

What’s more, here was a way for Hoover, a deskbound functionary, to cast himself as a dashing figure—a crusader for the modern scientific age.

From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann