field goal
Americannoun
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Football. a three-point goal made by place-kicking or drop-kicking the ball between the opponent's goalposts above the crossbar.
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Basketball. a goal made while the ball is in play.
noun
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basketball a goal scored while the ball is in normal play rather than from a free throw
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American football a score of three points made by kicking the ball through the opponent's goalposts above the crossbar
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of field goal
First recorded in 1890–95
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.
When the New England Patriots blocked a field goal in this year’s AFC Championship game, putting the team on the cusp of a Super Bowl trip, Austin Sagan wasn’t cheering like his Patriots-obsessed dad.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 8, 2026
The Chargers won by three at SoFi, but the Broncos held their second-stringers to a mere field goal in the regular-season finale with Denver winning at home, 19-3.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 14, 2026
James reached the points record earlier in part because Abdul-Jabbar played much of his career before the introduction of the three-pointer, but the field goal record is further testament to his longevity and prowess.
From Barron's ● Mar. 6, 2026
On the next possession, they intercepted Maye and soon set up kicker Jason Myers’s fifth field goal of the game, a Super Bowl record.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 9, 2026
Most of the records belonged to Antoine Thomas, but Erik Fisher was in there for the longest field goal, the highest field-goal percentage in a season, and the most extra points in a season.
From "Tangerine" by Edward Bloor
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
