touchback
noun
touch·back
ˈtəch-ˌbak 
: a situation in football in which the ball is down behind the goal line after a kick or intercepted forward pass after which it is put in play by the team defending the goal on its own 20-yard line compare safety
Examples of touchback in a Sentence
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Reid went 1 for 2 on extra points and had a touchback before Butker returned.
—
Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 30 May 2024
If a ball lands within the landing zone and becomes a touchback, the ball will be placed at the 20-yard line.
—Jim Sergent, USA TODAY, 26 Mar. 2024
Noel made 8 of 12 field goals with a long of 49 yards and had 49 touchbacks in 63 kickoffs as a junior.
—Richard Davenport, arkansasonline.com, 20 June 2024
Any kick that bounces from the landing zone to the end zone must be returned or downed by the receiving team for a touchback, with the ball coming out to the 20.
—Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 30 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for touchback 
Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 30 May 2024
If a ball lands within the landing zone and becomes a touchback, the ball will be placed at the 20-yard line.
—Jim Sergent, USA TODAY, 26 Mar. 2024
Noel made 8 of 12 field goals with a long of 49 yards and had 49 touchbacks in 63 kickoffs as a junior.
—Richard Davenport, arkansasonline.com, 20 June 2024
Any kick that bounces from the landing zone to the end zone must be returned or downed by the receiving team for a touchback, with the ball coming out to the 20.
—Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 30 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for touchback
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'touchback.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Touchback.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/touchback. Accessed 26 Jul. 2024.
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touchback
noun
touch·back
ˈtəch-ˌbak
: the act of downing a football behind the goal line after receiving a kick or intercepting a pass
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