free throw lane
noun
: a 12- or 16-foot-wide lane on a basketball court that extends from underneath the goal to a line 15 feet in front of the backboard and that players may not enter during a free throw
Examples of free throw lane in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Bradley inbounds from the right side instead of the point guard while his teammates align in a box set – one on each corner of the free throw lane.
—
Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Dec. 2022
Both squads were forced to play physically with a lot of contact allowed by officials (with free throw lane violations and off ball fouls called to make up), which the Nighthawks happily accepted.
—Alex Harrison, The Enquirer, 5 Mar. 2022
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.
Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Dec. 2022
Both squads were forced to play physically with a lot of contact allowed by officials (with free throw lane violations and off ball fouls called to make up), which the Nighthawks happily accepted.
—Alex Harrison, The Enquirer, 5 Mar. 2022
Cite this Entry
“Free throw lane.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/free%20throw%20lane. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share