penalty kick

American  

[pen-l-tee kik] / ˈpɛn l ti ˌkɪk /

noun

Soccer.

• penalty kicks
  plural

1. a free kick awarded for an infraction committed by a defensive player in the penalty area and taken by the offensive player who has been fouled from a point 12 yards (11 meters) directly in front of the goal. PK

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penalty kick British  

noun

1. soccer a free kick at the goal from a point ( penalty spot ) within the penalty area and 12 yards (about 11 m) from the goal, with only the goalkeeper allowed to defend it: awarded to the attacking team after a foul within the penalty area by a member of the defending team

2. rugby Union a kick awarded after a serious foul that can be aimed straight at the goal to score three points

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• penalty kicks
  plural

Etymology

Origin of penalty kick

First recorded in 1885–90

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

penalty kick

But goalkeeper JT Marcinkowski made the two goals stand up, making six saves before giving up New England’s only goal on Carles Gil’s penalty kick six minutes into second-half stoppage time.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 6, 2026

Benn described their meeting as "such an honour" and he even got a chance to take a penalty kick against his sporting hero.

From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026

And France’s Kylian Mbappé still doesn’t understand why he was made to stand around for 3 minutes and 11 seconds during a review of an obvious penalty kick.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 13, 2026

The buzz: France, bidding to make its third consecutive World Cup final, needed a penalty kick from Kylian Mbappé to dispatch stubborn Paraguay, a third-place team, in the round of 16.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026

Maya drilled the penalty kick, upper right, into the net, and we were up 1-0 in the first minute.

From "Tangerine" by Edward Bloor