strong safety

noun

: a safety in football who plays opposite the strong side of an offensive formation

Examples of strong safety 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.
Late in the third quarter Lagway was forced to scramble to his right before throwing an interception to TCU senior strong safety Jamel Johnson. — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Oct. 2026 Any policy should include strong safety and testing standards, responsible licensing, enforcement and protections for children. — Mary Ramsey, Charlotte Observer, 14 Oct. 2026 Their dad was a strong safety and high school teammate of Oswego coach Brian Cooney, who played linebacker on the school’s 1992 state championship team. — Rick Armstrong, Chicago Tribune, 23 Sep. 2026 Free safety Taylor Davis had eight tackles, six solo, while linebackers Trey Lathan and Quincy Davis had seven tackles each and strong safety Corey Gordon five, including one for loss. — Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 20 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for strong safety

Word History

First Known Use

1970, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of strong safety was in 1970

Rhymes for strong safety

See All Rhymes for strong safety

Browse Nearby Words

strong room
strong safety
strong sand
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Strong safety.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/strong%20safety. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of compunction

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All