turf toe

noun

: a minor but painful usually sports-related injury typically involving hyperextension of the big toe that results in spraining or tearing of the ligaments at the joint between the metatarsal and basal phalanx

Examples of turf toe in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

But that hasn’t led to a noticeable drop in performance as the team continues to plug along, even with starting quarterback Brock Purdy out the last five games with turf toe. —Adam Grosbard, Oc Register, 8 Nov. 2025

Purdy, recovering from turf toe, will give way Sunday to Mac Jones for the eighth time. —Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 8 Nov. 2025

Backup quarterback Mac Jones made yet another start for San Francisco as Brock Purdy continued to recover from the nagging turf toe injury that's kept him off the field for seven games in 2025. —Matt Audilet, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2025

But now, Burrow — who suffered grade 3 turf toe against the Jacksonville Jaguars in week 2 — attracted attention for a physical element a bit further up on his 6-foot-4 frame. —Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 17 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

from the occurrence of the injury among athletes who play on artificial turf

First Known Use

1981, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for turf toe

• beau
• beaux
• blow
• boe
• bro
• coe
• crow
• doe
• doh
• dough
• eau
• eaux

Medical Definition

turf toe

noun

ˈtərf- 

: a minor but painful usually sports-related injury involving hyperextension of the big toe that results in spraining or tearing of the ligament of the metatarsophalangeal joint