bench player
Sits during games
A bench player is a member of a sports team who typically doesn't start games but waits on the bench until called to substitute in.
The term often carries a slight connotation of being second-string: He was a bench player his whole career.
Figuratively, it can describe anyone in a supporting rather than leading role.
- reserveSupply kept back
- substituteReplacement for another
- backupStored duplicate for recovery
- rosterList of members
- sidelineSecondary business pursuit
warmup · scrub · depth · rotation · clipboard · towel · squad · practice · practice squad · jersey · minutes · role · riding the pine · waiting · dugout · pine · sixth man · spot
- basketballbasketball, rebound, dunk, basketball camps, dribble
- team rolesteam lead, captain, healer, goalkeeper, vice captain
- secondarysecondary, second fiddle, second string, second choice, second place
- athletesathlete, Olympian, champion, swimmers, runner
- backup rolesvice president, deputy, understudy, backup singer, second chair
- support roleshelper, assistant, aide, support staff, backup
bench playerstarter
Initiator of action
regular · mainstay · first-stringer · first-teamer · fixture
bench playerstar player
Team's premier athlete
franchise player · superstar · MVP · face of the franchise · key player
bench, player, benches, benched, benching, play, plays, played, playing