touchback
noun
touch·back
ˈtəch-ˌbak 
: a situation in football in which the ball is down behind the goal line after a kick or intercepted forward pass after which it is put in play by the team defending the goal on its own 20-yard line compare safety
Examples of touchback in a Sentence
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Dixon also had better numbers in terms of avoiding touchbacks and putting punts inside the opponents’ 20-yard line.
—
Parker Gabriel, The Denver Post, 15 May 2024
The old way had become too stale with too many touchbacks.
—Elliott Teaford, Orange County Register, 8 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for touchback 
Parker Gabriel, The Denver Post, 15 May 2024
The old way had become too stale with too many touchbacks.
—Elliott Teaford, Orange County Register, 8 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for touchback
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'touchback.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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“Touchback.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/touchback. Accessed 29 May. 2024.
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touchback
noun
touch·back
ˈtəch-ˌbak
: the act of downing a football behind the goal line after receiving a kick or intercepting a pass
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