quar·ter·back
ˈkwȯ(r)-tər-ˌbak 
1
: an offensive back in football who usually lines up behind the center, calls the signals, and directs the offensive play of the team
2
: one who directs and leads
quarterbacked; quarterbacking; quarterbacks
1
: to direct the offensive play of
quarterback a football team
2
: to give executive direction to : boss
quarterbacked the original buying syndicate—
Time
Time
: to play quarterback
Synonyms
Examples of quarterback in a Sentence
Verb
He quarterbacked his high school team.
She quarterbacked the company's latest ad campaign.
Recent Examples on the Web
David Faris, Newsweek, 3 Feb. 2025
For now, the Chiefs have more than doubled in value since Mahomes took over as their starting quarterback in 2018, and climbed 1,790% across the 26-year history of Forbes’ valuation list, more than three times the S&P 500’s growth in that time.
—Brett Knight, Forbes, 2 Feb. 2025
Jon Wilner, The Mercury News, 28 Jan. 2025
The Chiefs head into Sunday night’s game against the Buffalo Bills, which is quarterbacked by Josh Allen (who has been Miami’s daddy his entire seven-year pro career) at the doorstep of becoming the NFL’s first team to three-peat in the modern era of football.
—Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 24 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for quarterback 
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Noun
Inevitably, one of the aforementioned teams will be forced to entrust one of these players with franchise quarterback expectations given their circumstance.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 3 Feb. 2025
For now, the Chiefs have more than doubled in value since Mahomes took over as their starting quarterback in 2018, and climbed 1,790% across the 26-year history of Forbes’ valuation list, more than three times the S&P 500’s growth in that time.
—Brett Knight, Forbes, 2 Feb. 2025
Verb
Will quarterback Jalon Daniels morph into one of the Big 12’s best in his final season?
—Jon Wilner, The Mercury News, 28 Jan. 2025
The Chiefs head into Sunday night’s game against the Buffalo Bills, which is quarterbacked by Josh Allen (who has been Miami’s daddy his entire seven-year pro career) at the doorstep of becoming the NFL’s first team to three-peat in the modern era of football.
—Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 24 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for quarterback
Dictionary Entries Near quarterback
Cite this Entry
“Quarterback.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quarterback. Accessed 9 Feb. 2025.
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