tap-in

American

[tap-in] / ˈtæpˌɪn /

noun

Basketball.

a field goal made by striking a ball in the air into the basket, usually from close range.

tap-in British

noun

soccer a goal scored without great effort by simply knocking the ball into the goal from close range

"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 tap-in

Noun use of verb phrase tap in

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.

That allowed Adrian Kempe to skate in and take the puck off Matheson’s stick and feed Anze Kopitar at the far post for the tap-in.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 8, 2026

His 75th-minute tap-in stretched the lead to three goals.

From Barron's • Jan. 26, 2026

Roma did very little at the Allianz Stadium beyond Tommaso Baldanzi's tap-in 15 minutes from the end, and the capital city outfit have now lost three of their last four matches in Italy's top flight.

From Barron's • Dec. 20, 2025

Captain Harry Kane scored his 71st goal in 105 international appearances with a simple tap-in after 68 minutes and substitute Eberechi Eze added the hosts' third with a deflected shot.

From BBC • Mar. 24, 2025

Nick was strong and I was thinking about maybe throwing the ball off the backboard and going for the tap-in off the bound.

From "Slam!" by Walter Dean Myers

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