field goal
Americannoun
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field goals
plural
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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.
His 15.3 field goal attempts per game was a career low, and he was ineligible for end-of-season awards because he missed 22 regular-season games, ending his streak of 21 years with All-NBA honors.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 30, 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
The biggest of all may be the four-point field goal.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 26, 2026
But the Permian drive sputtered and it was time for Wyles to agonize his way through another field goal, this one from the 30 instead of the 31.
From "Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, And A Dream" by H.G. Bissinger
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.
