neutral zone
noun
plural neutral zones
1
American football
: a space between the two lines of scrimmage equivalent to the length of the ball that may not be encroached upon by either team until the ball is put in play
2
ice hockey
: the portion of a rink (see rink sense 1a) between the attacking and defensive zones
3
: a zone or area of shared ownership or administration
In fact, the Saudis and Kuwaitis aid the Iraqis … by selling Iraqi oil from the neutral zone, a favor that pumps more than $3 million a day into Iraqi coffers.—
Newsweek
NewsweekExamples of neutral zone in a Sentence
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Philadelphia’s 1-1-3 neutral zone strategy and rush defense were a driving force behind the team’s Cinderella run down the stretch and through Round 1.
—Shayna Goldman, New York Times, 20 May 2026
Midway through the second period, after Avs star center Nathan MacKinnon forced a neutral zone turnover, Wallstedt stopped the Colorado superstar on a wrist shot from the right corner — the spot from which the Avalanche routinely thwarted him in Game 1.
—John Shipley, Twin Cities, 10 May 2026
At even strength in the first period, the Sharks had all kinds of trouble with the Predators’ pressure in the defensive and neutral zones.
—Curtis Pashelka, Mercury News, 5 Apr. 2026
Off a neutral zone draw outside the Minnesota line, Morgan Geekie collected the puck in the O-zone and dished it back to Hampus Lindholm, who fired it toward the net.
—Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 28 Mar. 2026
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Shayna Goldman, New York Times, 20 May 2026
Midway through the second period, after Avs star center Nathan MacKinnon forced a neutral zone turnover, Wallstedt stopped the Colorado superstar on a wrist shot from the right corner — the spot from which the Avalanche routinely thwarted him in Game 1.
—John Shipley, Twin Cities, 10 May 2026
At even strength in the first period, the Sharks had all kinds of trouble with the Predators’ pressure in the defensive and neutral zones.
—Curtis Pashelka, Mercury News, 5 Apr. 2026
Off a neutral zone draw outside the Minnesota line, Morgan Geekie collected the puck in the O-zone and dished it back to Hampus Lindholm, who fired it toward the net.
—Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 28 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for neutral zone
Cite this Entry
“Neutral zone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/neutral%20zone. Accessed 2 Jun. 2026.
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