zone defense
noun
: a system of defense (as in basketball or football) in which each player guards an assigned area rather than a specified opponent
Examples of zone defense in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
But Denver’s red-zone defense is just too good to let Las Vegas turn this into a shootout.
—
Joe Nguyen, Denver Post, 6 Nov. 2025
However, the Jayhawks, who played zone defense, survived as Al Wood missed a shot at the buzzer in Kemper Arena in KC.
—Kansas City Star, 5 Nov. 2025
But the Heat had a strong response, beginning the fourth quarter with a big run of its own after pulling out its zone defense for the first time this season.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 31 Oct. 2025
Turning to a zone defense in the second half of Game 1 suffocated Phoenix’s offense, denying Alyssa Thomas the middle of the floor and turning the tide of the game.
—Sabreena Merchant, New York Times, 11 Oct. 2025
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Joe Nguyen, Denver Post, 6 Nov. 2025
However, the Jayhawks, who played zone defense, survived as Al Wood missed a shot at the buzzer in Kemper Arena in KC.
—Kansas City Star, 5 Nov. 2025
But the Heat had a strong response, beginning the fourth quarter with a big run of its own after pulling out its zone defense for the first time this season.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 31 Oct. 2025
Turning to a zone defense in the second half of Game 1 suffocated Phoenix’s offense, denying Alyssa Thomas the middle of the floor and turning the tide of the game.
—Sabreena Merchant, New York Times, 11 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for zone defense
Cite this Entry
“Zone defense.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/zone%20defense. Accessed 16 Nov. 2025.
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