hash mark

noun

plural hash marks

1

a

American football : any of various short lines that measure the field in one-yard intervals

especially : any of the short lines that are arranged in rows which run the length of the field between the goal lines and that are used to determine where the ball can be placed at the start of each play

b

sports : a short line on a playing surface typically used to mark the location where players stand during a set action (such as a free throw in basketball or a face-off in hockey)

2

: the symbol # : pound sign

3

: service stripe

Examples of hash mark in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Boise State will paint the 11-yard hash mark orange to honor Moore, who wore that number while going an astonishing 50-3 with the program in four years. — Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 15 June 2026

The hash marks moved to both sides of the car on the C6 and C7. — Jackie Charniga, Freep.com, 26 Mar. 2026

After the polls closed in the evening, Anna tallied up the votes by candlelight, jotting hash marks on paper with a pencil to keep track of the numbers. — Literary Hub, 11 Mar. 2026

Guenther answered right back 60 seconds later with a snap shot from between the hash marks. — Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 26 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1907, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Rhymes for hash mark

• ballpark
• benchmark
• birthmark
• daymark
• earmark
• embark
• hallmark
• landmark
• monarch
• postmark
• remark
• skylark