goaltending

American  

[gohl-ten-ding] / ˈgoʊlˌtɛn dɪŋ /

noun

1. goalkeeping.

2. Basketball. any of several violations that prevent a goal from being scored, occurring when 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.

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Usage

What does goaltending mean? 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. The word goaltending can also refer to the act of being a goaltender, which in sports like ice hockey and lacrosse is another name for the goalkeeper. This is 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). (Basketball does not have a goaltender or goalkeeper position.)In basketball, when a player interferes with the ball in a certain way, the referee will call goaltending. Goaltending is often done accidentally by a defensive player trying to keep the ball from going in the basket. When the referee calls goaltending on a play like this, the basket will be counted as if the ball had gone in, and the offensive team will be awarded points for it. Goaltending can also be done by an offensive player who interferes with the ball in this way. In this case, the basket is not counted, and no points are awarded (even if the ball went in). The informal verb goaltend is sometimes used in basketball to refer to the action of goaltending, as in Don’t goaltend by hitting the ball on its way down. Goaltend is also informally used to refer to an instance of doing so or to the call made by the referee, as in She just got called for a goaltend. Example: The replay shows that he touched the ball on the way down, so they’re going to call this goaltending.

Etymology

Origin of goaltending

First recorded in 1935–40; goal + tend ² + -ing ¹

Example Sentences

Durant missed a potential go-ahead basket then blocked a Maxey shot as they went to overtime, the Sixers arguing for a goaltending call that would have sealed a win for them but didn't come.

From Barron's • Jan. 23, 2026

So in addition to a fight...er, confidence coach, the team has four strength and conditioning coaches, a sports dietitian, a psychologist, a skating coach, a video coordinator and a director of goaltending.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 21, 2025

“You need good goaltending to win. And we have a lot of different options.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 13, 2025

“Our goaltending is arguably one of the best tandems in the National Hockey League. And, they proved that during the course of the season,” Sweeney said.

From Seattle Times • May 22, 2024

I have my goaltending gear—the prescription goggles, knee pads, and elbow pads—in a drawer in my room.

From "Tangerine" by Edward Bloor