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.

See Examples For:

tap-in

La Sasso, 22, executed a perfect chip on the final hole before a tap-in birdie to become the youngest winner of a LIV Golf event.

From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026

That time, he beat his defender down the left flank and threaded a pass to Balogun right in front of the net for a tap-in.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 13, 2026

He had a tap-in at 15, a three-footer at 16 and another tap-in at 17 to give himself a comfortable margin.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 21, 2026

Lawrence Shankland's goal was a tap-in, but he admits Lewis Ferguson's corner was probably going in anyway, before he made sure.

From BBC ● Mar. 31, 2026

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

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