How to Use first down in a Sentence

first down

noun
  • The pass was completed for a first down.
  • They have first down on the 20-yard line.
  • The first down that wasn’t a first down?
    — The Athletic Nfl Staff, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025
  • Fights his tail off to get first downs and just to win.
    — Charlotte Carroll, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025
  • Have 12 first downs to their 2.
    — Joe Nguyen, Denver Post, 21 Sep. 2025
  • Pacheco’s two runs picked up a first down and sealed the game.
    — Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 22 Jan. 2024
  • Each team gets four downs to pass mid-field for a first down.
    — John Lawson, Essence, 10 Feb. 2025
  • But get a couple of first downs.
    — Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Aug. 2025
  • Hunt picked up 6 yards and got the first down (again).
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 2 Nov. 2025
  • The offense couldn’t get first downs.
    — Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 26 Oct. 2025
  • That penalty wiped out a first down on third down.
    — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 22 Sep. 2025
  • And the next play, an 11-yard grab for a first down.
    — Luca Evans, Denver Post, 16 Jan. 2026
  • Denegal chose to pass rather than run for an easy first down.
    — Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Sep. 2025
  • Harvey with 8-yard run on first down.
    — Joe Nguyen, Denver Post, 29 Sep. 2025
  • Then Franklin gets a 6-yard catch for the first down.
    — Joe Nguyen, Denver Post, 29 Sep. 2025
  • And the Broncos have a first down.
    — Joe Nguyen, Denver Post, 14 Sep. 2025
  • Sam Ehlinger tries to dive for a first down, but comes up just short.
    — Scott Horner, The Indianapolis Star, 31 Oct. 2022
  • The Raiders finished with three first downs.
    — Kansas City Star, 19 Oct. 2025
  • The first downs set a Chiefs franchise record.
    — Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 19 Oct. 2025
  • Two carries for 5 yards (each), that’s a first down.
    — Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 19 Oct. 2025
  • The offense picked up the first down in that case and then put the game away.
    — Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2022
  • Buena Park had two first downs the rest of the way.
    — Steve Dulas, Oc Register, 25 Oct. 2025
  • Nix goes to him again on the subsequent play for the first down.
    — Joe Nguyen, Denver Post, 4 Jan. 2026
  • But no flag was thrown, and the Eagles got the first down.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 14 Sep. 2025
  • The Ravens got the ball back and could have put the game away with a first down.
    — Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 8 Sep. 2025
  • All four of his catches produced first downs.
    — Michael-Shawn Dugar, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2025
  • At one point, Shurmur rushed it on first down six straight times.
    — Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 13 Sep. 2025
  • On 3rd and 3, Nolan keeps it and has the first down and more.
    — oregonlive, 30 Oct. 2021
  • Nearly the first down, but his knee hit the ground just before the line.
    — Joe Nguyen, Denver Post, 21 Sep. 2025
  • All Richards had to do was convert a first down to run out the clock.
    — Pat Disabato, chicagotribune.com, 10 Apr. 2021

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'first down.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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