backbencher

American

[bak-ben-cher, -ben-] / ˈbækˈbɛn tʃər, -ˌbɛn- /

noun

any of the members of a legislature, especially of the House of Commons of Great Britain, but not including the leaders of the parties.

backbencher British

/ ˈbækˈbɛntʃə /

noun

a Member of Parliament who does not hold office in the government or opposition

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of backbencher

First recorded in 1905–10; back bench + -er ¹

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"The problem is there's such a huge trust deficit between parents and government on this issue," one Labour backbencher said.

From BBC

One told me: "We would say, 'Why don't you engage with women? Why wouldn't you engage with backbenchers?' They just looked utterly baffled - he wouldn't engage."

From BBC

No 10's attempts to mollify backbenchers will continue in the coming days, with the 37 Scottish Labour MPs getting particular close attention.

From BBC

The prime minister is expected to publicly address the episode as soon as Monday, as he seeks convince his backbenchers he can regain control of the situation.

From BBC

While the handful of backbenchers who have spoken out publicly are frequent critics of the PM, many more have raised concerns privately.

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023