first down

noun

plural first downs

: 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

: 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 Meanwhile the Red defense held the second offensive unit to 61 total yards and three first downs in the first half. —

Tom Murphy, arkansasonline.com, 14 Apr. 2024 At halftime, the Chiefs had only three points and seven first downs. —

Sam Farmer, Los Angeles Times, 12 Feb. 2024 From next season, the tackle will result in a 15-yard penalty and an automatic first down, the league announced. —

Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2024 The foul will result in a loss of 15 yards and an automatic first down. —

Sam Farmer, Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2024 Technology will soon replace old-timey chain crews: The NFL has been testing optical technology to track first downs in multiple games including the recent Super Bowl. —

Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 3 Mar. 2024 The Chiefs go three and out, failing to log a first down. —

Jason Abbruzzese, NBC News, 12 Feb. 2024 Four of those five catches went for first downs, including multiple crucial receptions on third down. —

Ayrton Ostly, USA TODAY, 28 Jan. 2024 While Kansas City managed 16 first downs in the first half, Baltimore had just five and converted on only one third down. —

Brian Wacker, Baltimore Sun, 28 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'first down.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.