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 Trojans missed their first seven shots in the fourth quarter and went more than eight minutes without a field goal. Los Angeles Times, 22 Feb. 2026 UConn opened the game missing seven consecutive field goal attempts before Fudd finally put in a layup almost four minutes in. Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 22 Feb. 2026 But Alabama made only one field goal the rest of the half, going 1 for 5. ABC News, 22 Feb. 2026 Brooklyn went the first 8 1/2 minutes of the second quarter without a field goal. CBS News, 21 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 23 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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