: a run made in football after catching an opponent's kick or intercepting a pass
Examples of runback in a Sentence
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Perry’s runback tied a record set in 1978 for the longest kick return for a touchdown in JCSU program history, and the Charlotte school’s 56-point win represents its largest margin of victory.
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Shane Connuck, Charlotte Observer, 28 Sep. 2025
But the Aggies were called for holding on the runback.
—Tony Catalina, Austin American Statesman, 13 Sep. 2025
With Ritt’s runback with 1:03 left in the fourth quarter, coach Chuck Kyle called for a 2-point conversion.
—Matt Goul, cleveland, 5 Nov. 2022
Two epic plays: James Harrison’s 100-yard interception runback for a touchdown as the clock ran out in the first half and Santonio Holmes’ unbelievable catch of a Ben Roethlisberger pass to win the game in the waning seconds.
—Al Michaels, Los Angeles Times, 2 Feb. 2022
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Shane Connuck, Charlotte Observer, 28 Sep. 2025
But the Aggies were called for holding on the runback.
—Tony Catalina, Austin American Statesman, 13 Sep. 2025
With Ritt’s runback with 1:03 left in the fourth quarter, coach Chuck Kyle called for a 2-point conversion.
—Matt Goul, cleveland, 5 Nov. 2022
Two epic plays: James Harrison’s 100-yard interception runback for a touchdown as the clock ran out in the first half and Santonio Holmes’ unbelievable catch of a Ben Roethlisberger pass to win the game in the waning seconds.
—Al Michaels, Los Angeles Times, 2 Feb. 2022
See All Example Sentences for runback
Cite this Entry
“Runback.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/runback. Accessed 28 Mar. 2026.
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runback
noun
run·back
ˈrən-ˌbak 
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