own goal

noun

1

chiefly British : a goal in soccer, hockey, etc., that a player accidentally scores against his or her own team

2

British : something that one does thinking it will help him or her but that actually causes one harm

The workers scored an own goal by demanding such high wages that no one could afford to employ them.

Examples of own goal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Emmanuel Sabbi slalomed past two SDFC defenders, creating stress that led to an own goal. —Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Nov. 2025

Their defense is doing much more, however, when backed up to its own goal line. —Cam Inman, Mercury News, 28 Nov. 2025

Vegas' Mitch Marner whiffed trying to execute a backhand pass from behind his own goal, sending the puck right to Gauthier in the slot for a wrist shot and his 13th goal of the season. —CBS News, 22 Nov. 2025

The decision Tuesday by a panel of federal judges blocking Texas' redrawn congressional map is a 160-page play-by-play description of a stunning political own goal by the Trump administration and Texas Republican officials. —James Sample, ABC News, 19 Nov. 2025

Rhymes for own goal

• bankroll
• bedroll
• borehole
• cajole
• catchpole
• charcoal
• condole
• control
• dipole
• downhole
• enroll
• extol