touchback
noun
touch·back
ˈtəch-ˌbak 
plural touchbacks
: a situation in football that typically occurs when the ball is downed (see down entry 3 sense 2) behind the goal line (as after a kickoff or punt) and that results in the team that is defending the goal putting the ball back in play on its own 20- or 25-yard line
Touchbacks on kickoffs will be moved to the 25-yard line, from the 20, to give teams an incentive not to run the ball out of the end zone, one of the most dangerous plays in the game.—
Ken Belson
Ken BelsonThe punter landed 27% of his kicks inside the 20-yard line while only four ended up in the endzone for a touchback.—Branson Nash
compare safety sense 3a(1)
Branson NashExamples of touchback in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
But on the very next play, following a touchback, running back Chuba Hubbard coughed up the ball and it was recovered by Seattle.
—Charlotte Observer, 29 Dec. 2025
Pittsburgh got the ball at its 35 after a touchback.
—CBS News, 28 Dec. 2025
Normally, punt returners don’t field a punt at their own 3-yard line, hoping for a touchback.
—Walter Villa, Miami Herald, 27 Dec. 2025
While the two fumbles did not lead to Carthage points, the first one came on the team’s opening drive in the game, losing the ball at the Carthage 6-yard line on a running attempt in which the ball rolled out of the end zone for a touchback.
—Mike Waters, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for touchback
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Charlotte Observer, 29 Dec. 2025
Pittsburgh got the ball at its 35 after a touchback.
—CBS News, 28 Dec. 2025
Normally, punt returners don’t field a punt at their own 3-yard line, hoping for a touchback.
—Walter Villa, Miami Herald, 27 Dec. 2025
While the two fumbles did not lead to Carthage points, the first one came on the team’s opening drive in the game, losing the ball at the Carthage 6-yard line on a running attempt in which the ball rolled out of the end zone for a touchback.
—Mike Waters, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for touchback
Cite this Entry
“Touchback.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/touchback. Accessed 31 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
touchback
noun
touch·back
ˈtəch-ˌbak
: the act of downing a football behind the goal line after receiving a kick or intercepting a pass
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share