clean sheet

British

noun

sport an instance of conceding no goals or points in a match or competition (esp in the phrase keep a clean sheet )

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Tuesday's 1-0 win was Arsenal's ninth clean sheet in 14 matches in Europe - they have only conceded two goals in six knockout games - and their 30th overall this season.

From BBC • May 6, 2026

Arsenal have kept a clean sheet in eight of their 12 games in the Champions League this season, which is more than any other in the Champions League.

From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026

A first home defeat in his 11-game tenure, one victory in four games, no clean sheet in five, a potential central defensive crisis and boos ringing in his ears at half-time.

From BBC • Apr. 13, 2026

Digging out a victory was also O'Neill's theme as his side secured a 13th clean sheet of the league season - albeit that is still less than Hearts.

From BBC • Apr. 11, 2026

‘Mah land, Johnny-boy, I could do with a bit of help. Them Britishers expect a clean sheet every week and seems like a clean shirt every day.’

From "Johnny Tremain" by Esther Hoskins Forbes

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023