touch·down
ˈtəch-ˌdau̇n 
1
: the act of touching a football to the ground behind an opponent's goal
specifically
: the act of scoring six points in American football by being lawfully in possession of the ball on, above, or behind an opponent's goal line when the ball is declared dead
2
: the act or moment of touching down (as with an airplane or spacecraft)
touched down; touching down; touches down
: to reach the ground : land
: to place (the ball in rugby) by hand on the ground on or over an opponent's goal line in scoring a try or behind one's own goal line as a defensive measure
Examples of touchdown in a Sentence
Noun
What was the plane's speed at touchdown?
Verb
the plane will touch down in about 30 minutes
Recent Examples on the Web
Sean Campbell, Sacbee.com, 9 June 2026
That first season was one that featured 49 receptions for 497 yards and four touchdowns, yes, but a bulk of that production also came with backup quarterback Andy Dalton at the helm.
—Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 9 June 2026
Paula Wethington, CBS News, 10 June 2026
Iran’s soccer team touched down in Mexico’s northwestern city of Tijuana on Sunday – right next to the US border – as Tehran criticized Washington over its visa restrictions for the team, which will limit the time the team spends in the US.
—Ben Church, CNN Money, 9 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for touchdown
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Noun
In 69 games across five seasons with the 49ers, Aiyuk amassed 4,305 receiving yards, 294 catches and 25 touchdowns, while hitting the 1,000-yard mark in both 2022 and 2023.
—Sean Campbell, Sacbee.com, 9 June 2026
That first season was one that featured 49 receptions for 497 yards and four touchdowns, yes, but a bulk of that production also came with backup quarterback Andy Dalton at the helm.
—Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 9 June 2026
Verb
Two tornadoes touched down in Michigan Tuesday during a spurt of severe weather that also resulted in a tornado warning – but no touchdown – for Metro Detroit.
—Paula Wethington, CBS News, 10 June 2026
Iran’s soccer team touched down in Mexico’s northwestern city of Tijuana on Sunday – right next to the US border – as Tehran criticized Washington over its visa restrictions for the team, which will limit the time the team spends in the US.
—Ben Church, CNN Money, 9 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for touchdown
Cite this Entry
“Touchdown.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/touchdown. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
touchdown
1 of 2 noun
touch·down
ˈtəch-ˌdau̇n
1
: the act of touching a football to the ground behind an opponent's goal
2
: the act of scoring six points in American football by carrying the ball over the opponent's goal line
3
: the act or moment of touching down (as with an airplane or spacecraft)
touch down
2 of 2 verb(ˈ)təch-ˈdau̇n
: to reach the ground : land
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