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rusher

American  
[ruhsh-er] / ˈrʌʃ ər /

noun

  1. a person or thing that rushes.

  2. Football. a player whose assignment is to rush or whose special skill is rushing.


Etymology

Origin of rusher

1645–55; 1875–80 rusher for def. 2; rush 1 + -er 1

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.

He was a consensus All-American in 2020, the same year he became the ACC’s all-time leading rusher.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 13, 2026

The same could be said of edge rusher Luke Wafle — 6-foot-6, 265 pounds — and defensive tackles Jameion Winfield — 6-foot-3, 325 pounds — all of whom were five-star prospects.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 3, 2026

The team is also projected to trade or release its top pass rusher, Bradley Chubb, for another $24 million.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 24, 2026

Given the upheaval, it's likely that Denver's formidable defense led by defensive player of the year Pat Surtain II and top pass rusher Nik Bonitto will be key.

From Barron's • Jan. 22, 2026

On offense they averaged 364 yards a game, and they had the leading rusher in the district in Dwane Roberts.

From "Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, And A Dream" by H.G. Bissinger