goaltender
Americannoun
Usage
What does goaltender mean? In sports like hockey, goaltender is another name for the goalkeeper, the player positioned in front of the goal whose job is to prevent the ball or puck from entering it (or crossing the goal line). Goaltender can be used to refer to the position or the player. A goaltender might say they play goaltender. A common informal word for goaltender is goalie. The word goaltender is commonly used in ice hockey and lacrosse. In soccer (football), this position is usually called goalkeeper, goalie, or keeper. The word goaltending can refer to acting as a goaltender, but it is also used in a more specific way in basketball (which does not have a goaltender or goalkeeper position). In basketball, goaltending refers to a rules violation in which a player interferes with a shot by touching the ball on its downward flight to the basket or while it is over, on, or within the rim of the basket. Example: When I played hockey, I was the goaltender, and I was pretty good, especially because I was quick.
Etymology
Origin of goaltender
Vocabulary lists containing goaltender
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.
He was an undrafted goaltender who had spent most of his career in the minors until the Hurricanes claimed him off waivers days before their 2025-26 season opener.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 15, 2026
Last November, Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck started experiencing knee problems at a devastating moment.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 26, 2026
Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Blake Snell and Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck also used the NanoNeedle for injuries, with Hellebuyck returning in under three weeks.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 26, 2026
But goaltender Carter Hart was stellar, turning away 17 shots before Sennecke got one past at 11:23 of the second.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 7, 2026
He looked at Betty Bright and said, “Coach, this goaltender of yours is not eligible to play. He wasn’t eligible to play for me, and he’s not eligible to play for you.”
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.
