Duster
A person who sits inactive
Example
did you see mark during the game?
yeah. a total duster
he didn’t even touch the ball once
at least he looked good sitting there, collecting dust
Related Slang
| Benchwarmer | A person present but not actively participating |
| Ride the pine | Sit on the bench |
| Soft benching | Benching a player without criticizing their play |
| Ghost cheeks | The warmth on a seat left by another person |
| Mendoza line | .200 batting average |
| Jock | An athlete |
| Siv | Bad goaltender |
| Skill issue | You're bad |
| Beast mode | Dominating gameplay |
| Stud | A highly skilled individual |
| Baller | A cool person |
Are you financially literate?
A "duster" is a sports slang term that refers to a player who spends most of their time on the bench, "collecting dust," rather than actively participating in the game. The term became popular in the 1980s and 1990s through sports culture and casual commentary, often used in a teasing or humorous way rather than as an insult (similarly to "benchwarmer."
Duster paints a picture of someone sitting idle while the action unfolds around them, underscoring their lack of involvement and impact on the team. Today, people still use the term in sports contexts, but it has also entered broader social slang. For example, friends, coworkers, or teammates might jokingly call someone a duster if they show up but don't contribute much to a project, event, or activity.