English Reference
noun

winger

n.
US /ˈwɪŋɝ/ UK /wˈɪŋɡɐ/ winger UK spelling wingers

  1. 01 B2 Upper Intermediate Sport

    a player in sports like football, hockey, or rugby who plays near the side of the field.

    an attacking player positioned near the touchline or side of the playing area in team sports.

    Simple

    The winger ran down the side of the pitch and crossed the ball into the box.

    In context

    The manager decided to substitute the left winger in the second half to provide more defensive cover against the opponent's overlapping full-backs.

    flankeroutside forward
  2. 02 C1 Advanced Informal

    a person who belongs to a specific side of a political group, such as the 'left wing' or 'right wing'.

    a member of a particular faction or wing within a political party or movement.

    Simple

    He is known as a right-winger who wants to lower all taxes.

    In context

    The party leadership struggled to balance the demands of the radical left-wingers with those of the more moderate members.

    Usage

    Usually preceded by 'left-' or 'right-' to specify the political orientation.

    partisanfactionalist
  3. 03 C2 Proficiency TechnicalArchaic

    a small barrel or container kept near the sides of a ship's storage area.

    a cask stowed in the wings of a vessel's hold, typically smaller than those stowed amidships.

    Simple

    The sailors moved the smaller wingers to make room for the larger cargo.

    In context

    Historical manifests indicate that wingers were often used for supplementary water storage due to their convenient size for peripheral stowage.

Plus, they seem to be in the market for another left winger.

BBC News· 14 Aug 2026

The Ibrox boss argued the Norway midfielder was "not getting involved enough" and he thought the change of shape would help his wingers become "more involved higher up the pitch".

BBC News· 13 Aug 2026
This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated