goaltending

noun

goal·​tend·​ing ˈgōl-ˌten-diŋ How to pronounce goaltending (audio)
1
: the act of guarding a goal (as in hockey)
2
: a violation in basketball that involves touching or deflecting a ball that is on its downward path toward the basket or on or within the rim of the basket

Examples of goaltending in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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But just enough opportunism in the offensive zone, defensive tenacity in their own zone and some very good goaltending by Jeremy Swayman (29 saves) led them to a 4-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils at the Garden. Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 7 Dec. 2025 Except Hawkins jumped for it and grabbed the rim as the ball went through, which constitutes offensive goaltending. Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Dec. 2025 More than anything, bad goaltending can sink a team’s confidence. Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 5 Dec. 2025 An early deficit and an unplanned goaltending change wasn’t nearly enough to slow down the Colorado Avalanche. Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 3 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for goaltending

Word History

First Known Use

1891, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of goaltending was in 1891

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Cite this Entry

“Goaltending.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/goaltending. Accessed 16 Dec. 2025.

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