on the bench
Idioms-
Presiding as judge in a law court, as in Lawyers are very careful when Judge Brown is on the bench . This usage alludes to the seat occupied by a judge. [Late 1200s]
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Waiting for a chance to participate; also, removed from participation. For example, Mary complained that all her colleagues were going to the sales conference while she was left on the bench . This usage comes from baseball and other sports, where players not deemed ready or competent to play sit on a bench watching the game. [Early 1900s]
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.
Tyler Fredericson was on the bench at Bournemouth and captained United's Under-21 side in their Premier League International Cup defeat by Real Madrid last week.
From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026
James flexed in front of his teammates on the bench, who stood to give their approval.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 11, 2026
"When people sit on the bench… I want them to live their life, go and do whatever they want to do, not be afraid, and get uncomfortable to get comfortable," she said.
From BBC • Apr. 9, 2026
The Bruins didn’t even panic when their leader seemed to panic, as Betts spent nearly half of the first quarter on the bench complaining that, “I’ve got something stuck in my throat.”
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 5, 2026
I brush it off with my cap and drop the Rd into my glove on the bench.
From "A High Five for Glenn Burke" by Phil Bildner
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.
