free safety

noun

: a safety in football who has no particular receiver to cover in a man-to-man defense

Examples of free safety 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.
Taaffe is seemingly competing with Trader for the starting free safety role. — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 31 Aug. 2026 To qualify, drivers must win a top placement at their state competition, sport a clean, preventable accident-free safety record for the previous year, and meet full-time driving requirements with their company. — Alice Barlow, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026 He was brought in from Louisiana Tech and had the inside track to replace Bud Clark at free safety before his dismissal. — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Aug. 2026 Phase two, to be completed within five years, tackles the more extensive changes closest to the home, including the one-foot vegetation-free safety zone and replacement of combustible gates. — Los Angeles Times, 19 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for free safety

Word History

First Known Use

1958, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of free safety was in 1958

Rhymes for free safety

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Browse Nearby Words

free run
free safety
free sample
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Cite this Entry

“Free safety.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/free%20safety. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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