touchdown

1 of 2

noun

touch·​down ˈtəch-ˌdau̇n How to pronounce touchdown (audio)
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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Toney, who reclassified to enroll at Miami a year early, is second among freshmen nationally in receptions (38) and receiving yards (510) while tied for third in receiving touchdowns (three). Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 21 Oct. 2025 In just two varsity seasons, Bush scored more touchdowns than any player before him in the old Nashville Interscholastic League. Mike Organ, Nashville Tennessean, 21 Oct. 2025
Verb
Rolling Loud Australia 2026 will touch down for two one-day festivals on March 7 at Sydney’s Centennial Park and March 8 at Melbourne’s Flemington Racecourse. Taylor Mims, Billboard, 20 Oct. 2025 The National Weather Service on Sunday confirmed a brief tornado touched down Saturday in Hot Spring County. Arkansas Online, 19 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for touchdown

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1856, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1859, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of touchdown was in 1856

Browse Nearby Words

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Touchdown.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/touchdown. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

touchdown

1 of 2 noun
touch·​down ˈtəch-ˌdau̇n How to pronounce touchdown (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on touchdown

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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