soccer

American  

[sok-er] / ˈsɒk ər /

British, association football

noun

1. a form of football played between two teams of 11 players, in which the ball may be advanced by kicking or by bouncing it off any part of the body but the arms and hands, except in the case of the goalkeepers, who may use their hands to catch, carry, throw, or stop the ball.

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soccer British  

/ ˈsɒkə /

noun

1. Also called: Association Football. 

   1. a game in which two teams of eleven players try to kick or head a ball into their opponent's goal, only the goalkeeper on either side being allowed to touch the ball with his hands and arms except in the case of throw-ins

   2. ( as modifier )

      a soccer player

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Etymology

Origin of soccer

First recorded in 1890–95; (As)soc(iation football) + -er ⁷

Compare meaning

How does soccer compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• Rugby vs. soccer

Explanation

Soccer is a sport that's played with a round black and white ball that players pass to each other using their feet. To win a soccer match, your side has to kick the ball into the goal more times than your rivals do. Go team! In most parts of the world, soccer is known as football, which makes sense since players (except the goalie) can't touch the ball with their hands — they mainly control and move it with their feet. In the U.S., however, football is a completely different sport, one that's known as American football everywhere else,. Soccer comes from socca, slang for Assoc., which is a shortened version of Association football.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

soccer

But in addition to all the messaging and positivity, the show also included soccer.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 9, 2026

I assure you this is less about sisterly solidarity or my lingering affection for “Ted Lasso” or even a love of soccer – er, football.

From Salon ● Aug. 7, 2026

It described his decade-long tenure as Fifa president as "centred on the development of soccer worldwide and institutional strength based on a clear, stable, and transparent governance model".

From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2026

The destroyed area is equivalent to about 180 soccer fields.

From Barron's ● Aug. 7, 2026

Not about the fire, but stuff from school, what they’re doing in soccer, what I’ve been doing with Zach.

From "Wayward Creatures" by Dayna Lorentz