first down

noun

plural first downs

1

: the first of a series of usually four downs (see down entry 5 sense 3a) in which a football team must net a 10-yard gain to retain possession of the ball

2

: a gain of a total of 10 or more yards within usually four downs giving the team the right to start a new series of downs

Examples of first down in a Sentence

They have first down on the 20-yard line.

The pass was completed for a first down.

Recent Examples on the Web

Of his 105 career catches, 72 have gone for first downs. —Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 12 Mar. 2026

Payton also used Prentice as an effective short-yardage weapon in 2025, as the 245-pound fullback recorded 10 first downs on just 16 offensive touches. —Luca Evans, Denver Post, 11 Mar. 2026

John Elway’s first championship in Super Bowl 32 (31-24 over Green Bay) came with 123 yards passing and one memorable whirly-bird rushing first down in San Diego that helped cement his legacy. —Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 10 Feb. 2026

Defensive tackle Milton Williams finally got home for a sack on Darnold on first down. —Doug Kyed, Hartford Courant, 9 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1885, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for first down

• adown
• blowdown
• breakdown
• countdown
• crackdown
• crosstown
• downtown
• drawdown
• dropdown
• facedown
• godown
• hometown