1
: one who sets up or repairs electric wire communication or power lines
called also linesman
2
: a player in the forward line of a team
specifically
: a football player in the line
Examples of lineman in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Chiefs defensive lineman Chris Jones is a wrecking ball who can line up inside or outside.
—
Los Angeles Times, 4 Feb. 2023
Pro Bowl players appearing in the Super Bowl besides Thuney are tackle Orlando Brown, center Creed Humphrey, interior lineman Chris Jones, tight end Travis Kelce, quarterback Patrick Mahomes and punter Tommy Townsend from the Chiefs.
—cleveland, 2 Feb. 2023
Top lineman Leonard Williams also missed Sunday’s game with a neck injury.
—Tom Canavan, Hartford Courant, 12 Dec. 2022
Before that 27-17 win, Chiefs defensive lineman Chris Jones spoke to Jaguars senior defensive assistant (and former Chiefs defensive coordinator) Bob Sutton.
—Jeff Fedotin, Forbes, 21 Jan. 2023
Offensive lineman Avery Jones became the sixth signee in the last five days with his announcement on Tuesday afternoon.
—Nick Alvarez | Nalvarez@al.com, al, 10 Jan. 2023
On his first sack, Paschal powered through Bears offensive lineman Braxton Jones, a fifth-round pick in 2022, before wrapping up Fields.
—Evan Petzold, Detroit Free Press, 3 Jan. 2023
Ohio State offensive lineman Matthew Jones has spent a good portion of the season dealing with an injury that has, at times, forced him to leave games for short stints.
—Stephen Means, cleveland, 27 Dec. 2022
Defensive lineman Justin Jones has been impressed with how Brisker goes about his business.
—Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 8 Dec. 2022
Los Angeles Times, 4 Feb. 2023
Pro Bowl players appearing in the Super Bowl besides Thuney are tackle Orlando Brown, center Creed Humphrey, interior lineman Chris Jones, tight end Travis Kelce, quarterback Patrick Mahomes and punter Tommy Townsend from the Chiefs.
—cleveland, 2 Feb. 2023
Top lineman Leonard Williams also missed Sunday’s game with a neck injury.
—Tom Canavan, Hartford Courant, 12 Dec. 2022
Before that 27-17 win, Chiefs defensive lineman Chris Jones spoke to Jaguars senior defensive assistant (and former Chiefs defensive coordinator) Bob Sutton.
—Jeff Fedotin, Forbes, 21 Jan. 2023
Offensive lineman Avery Jones became the sixth signee in the last five days with his announcement on Tuesday afternoon.
—Nick Alvarez | Nalvarez@al.com, al, 10 Jan. 2023
On his first sack, Paschal powered through Bears offensive lineman Braxton Jones, a fifth-round pick in 2022, before wrapping up Fields.
—Evan Petzold, Detroit Free Press, 3 Jan. 2023
Ohio State offensive lineman Matthew Jones has spent a good portion of the season dealing with an injury that has, at times, forced him to leave games for short stints.
—Stephen Means, cleveland, 27 Dec. 2022
Defensive lineman Justin Jones has been impressed with how Brisker goes about his business.
—Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 8 Dec. 2022
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lineman.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1876, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Dictionary Entries Near lineman
Cite this Entry
“Lineman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lineman. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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Kids Definition
lineman
noun
line·man
ˈlīn-mən 
1
: one who sets up or repairs power or telephone lines
2
: a football player whose position is on the line of scrimmage
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