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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Mountaineers allowed only three field goals in the third, one of them a buzzer-beating layup by Darianna Littlepage-Buggs that made it 47-37 heading to the fourth quarter. Arkansas Online, 2 Feb. 2026 Sisley didn’t make a field goal but had three free throws in the second overtime, including one to tie and one to win. Steve Galluzzo, Los Angeles Times, 1 Feb. 2026 Seahawks kicker Jason Myers, for example, was 2 of 4 on field goals at Levi’s in Week 18. Matt Barrows, New York Times, 1 Feb. 2026 On the ensuing North possession, South lineman Corey Lewis of Aliso Niguel blocked a 44-yard field goal attempt that would have tied the score. Dan Albano, Oc Register, 1 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for field goal

Word History

First Known Use

1883, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of field goal was in 1883

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Field goal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/field%20goal. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.

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

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