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

Oral Roberts’ Harper had five of the team’s 11 first half baskets and was one of only two players that made more than one field goal. —Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Dec. 2025

First, the Rams marched downfield to set up a Harrison Mevis 41-yard field goal. —Frank Nunns Oconnell, CNN Money, 19 Dec. 2025

Riley Patterson, who has filled in for Sanders all season, has connected on 24 of 26 field goals, including a career-long 56 yarder against Pittsburgh on Monday. —Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 18 Dec. 2025

Rivers was emotional after his first game back, which ended in a loss to the Seattle Seahawks by way of walk-off field goal. —Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 18 Dec. 2025

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