field goal

noun

1

: a score of three points in football made by drop-kicking or placekicking the ball over the crossbar from ordinary play

2

: a goal in basketball made while the ball is in play

Examples of field goal in a Sentence

He kicked a 20-yard field goal.

Recent Examples on the Web

Tony Pollard ran for a touchdown and Joey Slye kicked four field goals for the Titans, with three coming from at least 50 yards out. — ABC News, 14 Aug. 2026

Green Bay starter Jordan Love was 3 of 5 passing during one series of work while leading the Packers on an opening drive that ended with the first of rookie Trey Smack's three field goals. — CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026

Over his two seasons with the Huskies, Freeman made 43 field goals and totaled 230 total points. — Kels Dayton, Hartford Courant, 13 Aug. 2026

Undrafted rookie Dominic Zvada drilled a 62-yard field goal to close Wednesday’s practice, completing another perfect 7-of-7 day for the right-footed former Michigan specialist. — Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 13 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1883, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for field goal

• bankroll
• bedroll
• borehole
• cajole
• catchpole
• charcoal
• condole
• control
• dipole
• downhole
• enroll
• extol

Kids Definition

field goal

noun

1

: a score of three points in football made by kicking the ball over the crossbar during ordinary play

2

: basket sense 3b