touchdown

noun touch·down \ ˈtəch-ˌdau̇n \

|Updated on: 18 Aug 2018

Definition of touchdown

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)

See touchdown defined for English-language learners

See touchdown defined for kids

Examples of touchdown in a Sentence

What was the plane's speed at touchdown?

Recent Examples of touchdown from the Web

Gronkowski has feasted on the Colts with 20 catches and six touchdowns in five regular-season meetings.

— scott horner, Indianapolis Star, "What you need to know about Colts vs. Patriots," 12 July 2018
Brown was starting to hit his stride after throwing for 275 yards and three touchdowns against Virginia in late October.

— julian benbow, BostonGlobe.com, "BC quarterback Anthony Brown nearly ready after knee surgery," 4 July 2018
Canteen had six catches for 22 yards and one touchdown while appearing in 17 games for Michigan in 2014 and 2015.

— lamond pope, chicagotribune.com, "Notre Dame receiver Freddy Canteen to transfer for second time," 25 May 2018
Fales played all but one series in Miami’s season-ending 22-16 loss to Buffalo, and completed 29-of-42 passes for 265 yards and one touchdown.

— omar kelly, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Dolphins are comfortable with team's backup quarterbacks," 10 May 2018
Trail completed 46-of-70 passes (65.7 percent) for 494 yards, with one touchdown pass and six interceptions.

— tom groeschen, Cincinnati.com, "Quarterback Ross Trail granted release from the University of Cincinnati football team," 13 Apr. 2018
Hoak completed 14 of 25 passes for 121 yards and one touchdown.

— jon hale, The Courier-Journal, "No end in sign to Kentucky quarterback competition, and other spring game takeaways," 13 Apr. 2018
Despite Wolford’s departure, Wake Forest’s playmakers still include sophomore wide receiver Greg Dortch, who decimated Louisville with 10 catches for 167 yards and four touchdowns as a freshman.

— jake lourim, The Courier-Journal, "How Louisville football can (and can't) lose to Wake Forest," 9 July 2018
Brigade wideout Brandon Thompkins was named Offensive Player of the Game after posting 113 all-purpose yards and four touchdowns.

— baltimoresun.com, "Digest (July 7): Capitals' Alex Ovechkin shows off Stanley Cup at World Cup," 7 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'touchdown.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of touchdown

1856

in the meaning defined at sense 1

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touch down

verb

Definition of touch 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

See touch down defined for kids

Examples of touch down in a Sentence

the plane will touch down in about 30 minutes

Recent Examples of touch down from the Web

The breakout crew made Buy touch down in a tiny area of the courtyard.

— Fox News, "Helicopter pilot beaten during French criminal's escape," 4 July 2018
The men set off smoke canisters to hide from video cameras, and the helicopter touched down in the only part of the complex that was not covered by anti-helicopter netting, said another union member, Loic Delbroc.

— sylvie corbet, Time, "Infamous French Thief Escapes Prison in Bold Helicopter Caper," 1 July 2018
The men set off smoke canisters to hide from video cameras, and the helicopter touched down in the only part of the complex that was not covered by anti-helicopter netting, said another union member, Loic Delbroc.

— BostonGlobe.com, "Heavily armed men in helicopter free notorious French inmate," 1 July 2018
Most storms in Kansas were short, with little damage, but a large tornado touched down in Concordia, Kansas, breaking poles and bringing down power lines, The Wichita Eagle reported.

— natalie dreier, ajc, "Kansas, Oklahoma see first tornadoes of 2018," 2 May 2018
The National Weather Service has confirmed that a tornado with 88-mph winds touched down in far eastern Jefferson County on Tuesday afternoon.

— darcy costello, The Courier-Journal, "Tornado with 88-mph wind speeds touched down in Jefferson County," 27 June 2018
Hamden was one of six towns hit by four tornadoes that touched down during the fast-moving, intense storm on May 15.

— nicholas rondinone, courant.com, "Blumenthal, DeLauro To Meet With FEMA In Hamden To Talk Storm Damage," 11 June 2018
Bloomfield in Greene County was still cleaning up from tornadoes that touched down on June 3 and 4th when the White and Eel Rivers rose to record levels leaving hundreds stranded.

— dawn mitchell, Indianapolis Star, "Looking back at the 2008 floods in Indiana," 7 June 2018
Ford got the import license for the die a mere two hours before the plane touched down.

— phoebe wall howard, Detroit Free Press, "Ford's plan to rescue F-150: Drama worthy of a James Bond script," 16 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'touch down.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of touch down

1859

in the meaning defined at transitive sense

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

touch down Synonyms

TOUCHDOWN Defined for English Language Learners

touchdown

noun

Definition of touchdown for English Language Learners

American football : a score that is made by carrying the ball over the opponent's goal line or by catching the ball while standing in the end zone
rugby : the act of scoring points by putting the ball on the ground behind an opponent's goal line
: the moment when an airplane or spacecraft touches the ground at the end of a flight