flanker

noun

flank·​er ˈflaŋ-kər How to pronounce flanker (audio)
: a football player stationed wide of the formation slightly behind the line of scrimmage as a pass receiver

called also flanker back

Examples of flanker 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.
Then from lineout ball, prop Boris Wenger stood in a gang tackle and offloaded for flanker Benjamín Grondona to burst clear to the tryline. — ABC News, 8 Aug. 2026 Johnson is versatile but seems at home at the Z or flanker position. — Rick Stroud, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Aug. 2026 For most fragrance houses, a successful men’s scent eventually becomes a collection of flankers. — Adam Hurly, Robb Report, 1 Aug. 2026 Adam Novotný, considered the top Czech talent in this class, is another flanker with perhaps a lower ceiling but a higher floor. — Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 25 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for flanker

Word History

First Known Use

1940, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of flanker was in 1940

Rhymes for flanker

See All Rhymes for flanker

Browse Nearby Words

flanken
flanker
flank guard
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Flanker.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flanker. Accessed 9 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

flanker

noun
flank·​er ˈflaŋ-kər How to pronounce flanker (audio)
1
: one that flanks
2
: a football player stationed wide of the formation especially as a pass receiver
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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