free kick

American

noun

Soccer.

an unhindered kick of a stationary ball, usually awarded to a player as the result of a foul committed by a player from the opposing team.

free kick British

noun

soccer a place kick awarded for a foul or infringement, either direct, from which a goal may be scored, or indirect, from which the ball must be touched by at least one other player for a goal to be allowed

"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

Etymology

Origin of free kick

First recorded in 1870–75

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.

Watch the best goals from across the FA Cup fourth-round weekend, including a stunning free kick from Mansfield's Louis Reed and a strike from outside the box by Newcastle's Sandro Tonali.

From BBC • Feb. 17, 2026

Argentine midfielder Pereyra answered off a free kick for Minnesota in the 19th minute, blasting in a left-footed shot from in front of the goal just outside the box.

From Barron's • Nov. 9, 2025

He had already scored twice from the penalty spot and once with a free kick.

From Barron's • Oct. 25, 2025

But Mickey Thomas sent a 25-yard free kick past David Seaman before Steve Watkin's strike earned victory for Wrexham just two minutes later.

From BBC • Aug. 27, 2025

When North Atlanta scored first, on a free kick, the team’s coach jumped up and down, while across the field, parents leaped from their folding lawn chairs in celebration.

From "Outcasts United: An American Town, a Refugee Team, and One Woman's Quest to Make a Difference" by Warren St. John

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