switchboard
noun
switch·board
ˈswich-ˌbȯrd 
: an apparatus (as in a telephone exchange) consisting of a panel on which are mounted electric switches so arranged that a number of circuits may be connected, combined, and controlled
Examples of switchboard in a Sentence
She used to work as a switchboard operator.
Recent Examples on the Web
Those switchboard jobs are a thing of the past now, but they weren’t phased out overnight.
—
Rachyl Jones, semafor.com, 11 Mar. 2026
The computer rendered the data entry clerk, the switchboard operator, and file clerks obsolete.
—Jake Angelo, Fortune, 6 Mar. 2026
Telephone callers from across the nation and the world lighted up the hospital’s switchboard until about midnight, asking after the president’s baby and offering medical advice.
—Steven Levingston, Vanity Fair, 23 Feb. 2026
In a sleepy town, a switchboard operator and a radio DJ investigate a strange audio signal that intercepts the latter’s broadcast.
—Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 22 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for switchboard
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.
Rachyl Jones, semafor.com, 11 Mar. 2026
The computer rendered the data entry clerk, the switchboard operator, and file clerks obsolete.
—Jake Angelo, Fortune, 6 Mar. 2026
Telephone callers from across the nation and the world lighted up the hospital’s switchboard until about midnight, asking after the president’s baby and offering medical advice.
—Steven Levingston, Vanity Fair, 23 Feb. 2026
In a sleepy town, a switchboard operator and a radio DJ investigate a strange audio signal that intercepts the latter’s broadcast.
—Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 22 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for switchboard
Cite this Entry
“Switchboard.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/switchboard. Accessed 17 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
switchboard
noun
switch·board
-ˌbō(ə)rd
-ˌbȯ(ə)rd
: a device (as in a telephone exchange) consisting of a panel on which are mounted electric switches so arranged that a number of circuits may be connected, combined, and controlled
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
