goalpost

noun

goal·​post ˈgōl-ˌpōst 

: one of usually two vertical posts that with or without a crossbar constitute the goal in various games

Examples of goalpost in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Near a soccer match where the players brought in their own goalposts because the city can’t provide any. —Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 22 Jan. 2026

The ruling means the government can no longer retroactively hike interest or extend payment deadlines on old cases, effectively moving the goalposts on people who have already served their time. —Walter Pavlo, Forbes.com, 20 Jan. 2026

But what if the goalposts were wrong all along? —Lyssanoel Frater, USA Today, 15 Jan. 2026

While the market has largely absorbed the Blackwell ramp, management has once again moved the goalposts with the unveiling of the Rubin (R100) architecture, reinforcing Nvidia’s position at the center of global AI investment through at least 2027. —Tony Zhang, CNBC, 7 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1842, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for goalpost

• almost
• engrossed
• foremost
• hindmost
• impost
• inmost
• lamppost
• leftmost
• necrosed
• outpost
• pancoast
• rightmost

Kids Definition

goalpost

noun

goal·​post ˈgōl-ˌpōst 

: one of two upright posts that serve as the goal in various games