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

Dicker hit a 21-yard field goal for the Chargers' first points of the game. — CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026

Reese set a Dream record for field goals without a miss and became the third player in WNBA history with a 20-point double-double on 100% shooting. — ABC News, 21 Aug. 2026

The Seminole defense forces a turnover on downs one play after Jamarion Coleman made a big time sack to put Mountain Vista out of field goal range. — Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 20 Aug. 2026

Since entering the league in 2022-23 after one season at UCLA, Watson ranks second in field goal percentage allowed among players to contest at least 2,000 shots. — Janis Carr, Oc Register, 20 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