quarterback
Americannoun
-
quarterbacks
plural
verb (used with object)
-
to direct the offense of (a team).
-
to lead or direct.
to quarterback a public-relations campaign.
verb (used without object)
noun
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a player in American or Canadian football, positioned usually behind the centre, who directs attacking play
-
wisdom after the event, esp by spectators
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of quarterback
Explanation
In American football, the quarterback is in charge of the team's offense. When football players huddle in a circle to plan their plays, the quarterback usually decides which strategy to use. In many ways, a quarterback is a team's leader, although ultimately the coach is in charge. When an NFL team wins the Super Bowl, the quarterback accepts the winning trophy. As a verb, to quarterback either means, literally, to play the position of quarterback, or to lead a team or project: "The teacher asked me to quarterback the class Halloween party." Quarterback comes from the starting field position, between the center and the halfback.
Vocabulary lists containing quarterback
Set, Hut! Football Vocabulary
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American Football, 1st Quarter
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February Vocabulary Words
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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.
See Examples For:
It was an unheralded USD quarterback recruit from Oakland named Josh Johnson.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026
While he wore the headset in Oxford, Kiffin built one of the SEC’s most devastating offenses, piling up 37.3 points per game and transforming an unknown backup quarterback into a Heisman trophy candidate.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026
That’s the most in league history for a quarterback.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026
Liev Schreiber narrates the five-episode run, which features coach Mike Macdonald, quarterback Sam Darnold and receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 2, 2026
Patrick doesn’t either, but he was too busy watching the game and screaming at Brad, the quarterback.
From "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" by Stephen Chbosky
Football quarterbacks sometimes exaggerate hits to sell roughing-the-passer penalties.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 12, 2026
Fenton brought along his up-tempo, no-huddle offense from Los Alamitos, and quarterbacks Ezrah Brown and Reagan Toki were executing it in midseason form.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 12, 2026
“Horrible idea. A football team with two starting quarterbacks does not have a starting quarterback. The same can be said for two co-presidents.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 30, 2026
Herbert, who has been one of those traditional right-handed quarterbacks to have their right foot forward from the shotgun, has embraced his new coordinator’s methodology.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 17, 2026
He played tackle on offense and linebacker on defense, and opposing quarterbacks ran from him like scared rabbits.
From "October Sky" by Homer Hickam
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.
