Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

wingman

American  
[wing-man] / ˈwɪŋˌmæn /
Or wing man

noun

  1. Air Force. a pilot in a plane that flies just outside and behind the right wing of the leading aircraft in a flight formation, in order to provide protective support.

  2. Slang.

    1. a man who helps, protects, or guides a friend or associate.

      the CEO’s troubleshooting wingman.

    2. a man who helps a friend with romantic relationships, especially one who helps the friend attract a woman.

      When I walked into the bar, my wingman was already there, talking to two women.

  3. Sports. winger.


wingman British  
/ ˈwɪŋmæn /

noun

  1. a player in the wing position in Australian Rules

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of wingman

First recorded in 1940–45; wing + man

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:

Subsequently, the air force sought to fine the wingman pilot 880 million won to cover the full amount of the repair costs.

From BBC Apr. 22, 2026

The wingman pilot acknowledged his sudden manoeuvre led to the collision, but argued that the lead aircraft's pilot had "tacitly consented" to the manoeuvre since he was aware that filming was taking place.

From BBC Apr. 22, 2026

The money poured in, leading to resentment among cohorts who felt they’d been shortchanged, none more so than Bob Gimlin, Patterson’s wingman in the field during the infamous shoot.

From The Wall Street Journal Mar. 12, 2026

The musician Tyler Okonma, better known as the Tyler the Creator, is great in his feature film acting debut as Willy, Marty’s gambling wingman.

From Los Angeles Times Dec. 23, 2025

Wow, tell D he’s the best wingman ever, A+

From "What If It's Us" by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Join 12,000,000 vocabulary learners

Start learning new words today on VocabTrainer.
You'll remember them forever.

Start training