benchwarmer

noun

bench·​warm·​er ˈbench-ˌwȯr-mər How to pronounce benchwarmer (audio)
: a reserve player on an athletic team

Examples of benchwarmer in a Sentence

I played a little, but mostly I was a benchwarmer.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Thanks to Hunt's soft spot for benchwarmers, all entries—even the losers—will receive a bag of treats. — Katie Hill, PEOPLE, 12 May 2026 Ex high school benchwarmers are roaming the streets abducting mestizos. — Rafael Perez, Oc Register, 30 Nov. 2025 The Frenchman had fallen out of favor over the course of the year, going from a regular starter to benchwarmer before being left off the team sheet altogether for the past two matches. — Braidon Nourse, Denver Post, 19 July 2025 The visiting Blazers were missing every guard but benchwarmers Caleb Love and Rayan Rupert. — Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 22 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for benchwarmer

Word History

First Known Use

1892, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of benchwarmer was in 1892

Rhymes for benchwarmer

See All Rhymes for benchwarmer

Browse Nearby Words

benchtop
benchwarmer
bench warrant
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Benchwarmer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/benchwarmer. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

benchwarmer

noun
bench·​warm·​er ˈbench-ˌwȯr-mər How to pronounce benchwarmer (audio)
: a reserve player on a sports team
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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