football

[foot-bawl] / ˈfʊtˌbɔl /

NOUN

a sport

Synonyms

STRONGEST

soccer

STRONG

rugby

WEAK

American football Association football Canadian football grid game gridiron pastime the pigskin sport

NOUN

the ball used in football

Synonyms

STRONG

moleskin oval peanut pigskin pineapple porker sphere watermelon

WEAK

inflated oval regulation football

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.

The draft comes at an inflection point for college sports, and particularly college football.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 23, 2026

The court was shown a 17-minute video shot by forensic police of Maradona on his deathbed, wearing a pair of football shorts and a black t-shirt pulled up to reveal a cavernous stomach.

From Barron's • Apr. 23, 2026

Once Mendoza is actually on the team, his education will only accelerate, guided by a whole collection of notable football minds.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 23, 2026

It’ll be a while before we’re talking football again, so why not get in a few parting takeaways from the spring?

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 23, 2026

Coal met Theodore Guzman on the football field in second grade.

From "Boy 2.0" by Tracey Baptiste