line of scrimmage

noun phrase

: an imaginary line in football that is parallel to the goal lines and tangent to the nose of the ball laid on the ground and marks the position of the ball at the start of each down

Examples of line of scrimmage in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Miami needs more surge at the line of scrimmage to improve on the team’s 4.0 yards-per-carry average from last season, and end the team’s three-year struggles with short-yardage conversions. —Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 20 June 2025

Did someone line up incorrectly at the line of scrimmage? —Megan Poinski, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025

Adams and staff would wonder, watching Bo Nix stroll to the line of scrimmage and scrap the system. —Luca Evans, Denver Post, 30 May 2025

The flexibility of the cornerback group is augmented by the fact that both starting safeties, Hamilton and Starks, can play deep, move closer to the line of scrimmage or even match up in the slot. —Jeff Zrebiec, New York Times, 19 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1909, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for line of scrimmage

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Kids Definition

line of scrimmage

: an imaginary line in football parallel to the goal lines and running through the place the ball is laid before each play begins