touchdown

noun touch·down \ ˈtəch-ˌdau̇n \

Updated on: 15 Apr 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

Decker struggled at times with the Titans last season, finishing with 54 catches for 563 yards and one touchdown reception.

— jeff zrebiec, baltimoresun.com, "Ravens news, notes and opinions on interest in receiver Eric Decker, RGIII and draft trades," 5 Apr. 2018
Logan Carter provided the big play with a 35-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter.

— alex kushel, Sun-Sentinel.com, "West Boynton youth league crowns its flag football champions," 18 Mar. 2018
Willson had 15 catches for 153 yards last season and 11 career touchdown receptions.

— dave birkett, Detroit Free Press, "Detroit Lions continue bargain bin shopping on NFL free agency market," 16 Mar. 2018
Being remembered for Dez Bryant torching him for nine catches for 224 yards, including two 58-yard touchdown receptions.

— larry holder, NOLA.com, "From goat to G.O.A.T., Patrick Robinson returns to Saints a changed player," 14 Mar. 2018
Albert Okwuegbunam caught 29 passes and led the Southeastern Conference with 11 touchdown receptions as a redshirt freshman a season ago.

— aaron reiss, kansascity, "This position group could play a more prominent role in Mizzou football's new offense | The Kansas City Star," 10 Mar. 2018
In the third quarter, Thomas made his second touchdown reception, on a short pass to the flat.

— nathaniel cline, cleveland.com, "Ian Thomas, Indiana TE: NFL Draft 2018 (video)," 8 Mar. 2018
Preston had 42 catches for 876 yards and 10 touchdown receptions last season for Manvel.

— brent zwerneman, Houston Chronicle, "Aggies pick up unexpected 4-star recruit in offensive lineman Tank Jenkins," 7 Feb. 2018
DeVier Posey, a former La Salle High School and Ohio State Buckeyes standout, earned Grey Cup MVP honors with the Canadian Football League's Toronto Argonauts after his record 100-yard touchdown reception during the CFL championship game.

— dave clark, Cincinnati.com, "La Salle's Posey returns to NFL, signs with Ravens," 6 Feb. 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

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

Departure time in Philadelphia will be 8 a.m., with arrival in Worcester at 9:05 a.m. Another flight will leave Worcester at 9:30 a.m. and touch down in Philly at 10:39 a.m., according to the statement.

— travis andersen, BostonGlobe.com, "Starting in October, you can fly nonstop from Worcester to Philly," 9 Apr. 2018
Allegiant spokeswoman Krysta Levy says Flight 456 carrying 155 passengers and six crew members from Las Vegas touched down at Sioux Falls Regional Airport just before noon Sunday.

— CBS News, "Allegiant Air plane skids off snowy runway at South Dakota airport," 8 Apr. 2018
The Dayton Daily News reports investigators with the National Weather Service will visit Greene and Clark counties on Wednesday to confirm a tornado touched down.

— cliff pinckard, cleveland.com, "Suspected tornado causes damage in southwest Ohio (video)," 4 Apr. 2018
Despite being onboard one of the longest flights in the world, the 200-plus passengers who flew Qantas’s new 9,009-mile direct from Perth to London on Sunday might have touched down at Heathrow a little less bleary-eyed.

— cassie shortsleeve, Condé Nast Traveler, "Qantas’s New In-Flight Menu Aims to Fight Jet Lag," 28 Mar. 2018
After a seventeen-hour, 9,009-mile journey in the skies, the maiden flight of a new regular passenger services between Australia and Britain touched down at Heathrow, reports USA Today.

— hanna krueger, NOLA.com, "Qantas makes history with 17-hour Australia-Europe flight: report," 25 Mar. 2018
The maiden flight of a new non-stop regular passenger service between Australia and Britain has touched down at London's Heathrow Airport.

— Fox News, "First direct flight from Australia to London touches down," 25 Mar. 2018
At least seven Republican congressional seats in California are viewed as vulnerable, many of them located right near where Mr. Trump will be touching down.

— adam nagourney and tim arango, New York Times, "A Visit Behind the Lines: President Trump Heads to California," 12 Mar. 2018
The report was posted at about 1:30 p.m., stating a tornado had touched down in the Holly Glen subdivision of FM 980 South.

— dana burke, Houston Chronicle, "Tornado damages homes in San Jacinto County, sheriff's office reports," 28 Mar. 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

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