Meaning & use

sweeper

noun·Academic

A person or machine that cleans by sweeping, or a defensive soccer player positioned behind the other defenders.

See it in a sentence

A street sweeper passed by early each morning to clear the fallen leaves.

The team's sweeper cleared the ball off the goal line just in time.

A note on using this word

The soccer sense refers to a specific defensive role, freer to roam than a standard defender, common in older tactical formations.

Words with a similar meaning

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