defenseman

noun

de·fense·man di-ˈfen(t)s-mən

-ˌman

: a player in a sport (such as hockey) who is assigned to a defensive zone or position

Examples of defenseman in a Sentence

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.

Makar has 136 goals and 507 points — both franchise records for a defenseman — in 470 career regular-season games. — Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 28 Aug. 2026 Celebrini has been at Sharks Ice this week, taking part in informal skates with a handful of his teammates, including new defensemen Darnell Nurse and Jacob Trouba. — Curtis Pashelka, Mercury News, 27 Aug. 2026 New York also drafted four other defensemen aside from Šmits in June, including second-rounder Ben MacBeath and third-rounder Charlie Morrison, both of whom are also lefties. — Peter Baugh, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026 As of now, the B’s will go into camp with 10 defenseman and as many as 17 or 18 legitimate candidates for NHL duty at forward. — Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 21 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for defenseman

Word History

First Known Use

1877, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of defenseman was in 1877

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Defenseman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/defenseman. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

defenseman

noun

de·fense·man -mən

-ˌman

: a player in a sport who is assigned to a defensive zone or position

defenseman

noun

Examples of defenseman in a Sentence

Word History

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Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

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