football
noun
foot·ball
| \ ˈfu̇t-ˌbȯl
\
\
Definition of football
1
: any of several games played between two teams on a usually rectangular field having goalposts or goals at each end and whose object is to get the ball over a goal line, into a goal, or between goalposts by running, passing, or kicking: such as
c
: an American game played between two teams of 11 players each in which the ball is in possession of one side at a time and is advanced by running or passing
2a
: an inflated oval ball used in the game of football
b
British
: a soccer ball
3
: something treated roughly especially as the subject of a prolonged dispute
the issue became a political football in Congress
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Other Words from football
footballer
\ ˈfu̇t-ˌbȯ-lər
\
noun
\
noun
Examples of football in a Sentence
He played a lot of football in high school and college.
Recent Examples on the Web
After three years of one-sided Terry victories against rival Lamar Consolidated, the Battle of the ‘Berg football series has produced consecutive games decided late. — Jack Marrion, Houston Chronicle, "Lamar Consolidated, Terry resume football rivalry," 11 Sep. 2019 But don't worry, club football returns this weekend. — SI.com, "7 Things We Learned During an Eventful Week of International Football," 11 Sep. 2019 Louisville football is going for its second straight win of the season against Western Kentucky. — Cameron Teague Robinson, The Courier-Journal, "Louisville offense enjoying early success on the ground in new simplified scheme," 11 Sep. 2019 The $10 million facility will host football for Taft, Aiken, Hughes, Riverview East, Shroder and Gamble Montessori. — Scott Springer, Cincinnati.com, "CPS: Stargel Stadium will be ready for football Friday for Taft vs. Withrow," 11 Sep. 2019 My room overlooked the football stadium of the Citadel, the famous military academy. — Mary Norris, The New Yorker, "My Friend Dorothea Benton Frank," 11 Sep. 2019 After playing college football for Central Michigan, Brown was drafted to the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2010 and went on to play with the team for eight seasons. — Rachel Desantis, PEOPLE.com, "What to Know About Antonio Brown Following Rape Allegation, His Trade to the Patriots," 11 Sep. 2019 Changing coaches hasn’t done much to change Gadsden City’s football fortunes. — Josh Bean | [email protected], al, "See this week’s Huntsville HS football picks," 10 Sep. 2019 It’s two hours of these spiritual leaders talking and arguing: politics, Catholicism, life, football. — Taylor Antrim, Vogue, "Toronto Diary: In Fall Movies, Truth Is Stranger (and Better) Than Fiction," 10 Sep. 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'football.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for football
football
noun
English Language Learners Definition of football
US
: an American game that is played between two teams of 11 players each and in which the ball is moved forward by running or passing
: a similar Canadian game between two teams of 12 players each
: a ball filled with air that is used in the game of football
See the full definition for football in the English Language Learners Dictionary
football
noun
foot·ball
| \ ˈfu̇t-ˌbȯl
\
\
Kids Definition of football
1
: a game played with an oval ball on a large field by two teams of eleven players that move the ball by kicking, passing, or running with it
2
: the ball used in football
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