touchdown

1 of 2

noun

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)

touch down

2 of 2

verb

touched down; touching down; touches down

intransitive verb

: to reach the ground : land

transitive verb

: 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

Synonyms of touchdown

Verb

• perch
• land
• light

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

Noun

Prescott is coming off a Pro Bowl season, also finishing third place in Comeback Player of the Year voting, after throwing for 4,552 yards with 30 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. — Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 July 2026

Johnson also showed ability in the pass game during his career at Nebraska, with 92 catches for 702 yards and five touchdowns. — Kansas City Star, 11 July 2026

Verb

An introduction to America Before Pochettino touched down at LaGuardia Airport in mid-September 2024, his impressions of the United States had developed as a visiting coach or from the outside. — Henry Bushnell, New York Times, 5 July 2026

People previously reported that Donna touched down in New York City on July 2 just hours before the couple’s intimate 100-person rehearsal at the Infosys Theater, which is on the grounds of Madison Square Garden. — Lara Walsh, InStyle, 5 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1856, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1859, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Rhymes for touchdown

• adown
• blowdown
• breakdown
• countdown
• crackdown
• crosstown
• downtown
• drawdown
• dropdown
• facedown
• godown
• hometown

Kids 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