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 Mourinho - Guardiola rivalry was like a mirror for the Ronaldo - Messi rivalry. And, as players, they knew that game-winning goals were their route to one-upmanship," added Spanish football writer Sid Lowe.

From BBC • Jun. 5, 2026

Italian football expert Mina Rzouki, added: "You are not buying sporting excellence, you are buying a whole one-man economy."

From BBC • Jun. 5, 2026

Ardent Donald fans recall his wife’s response when he retired in 2024, and followers were incredulous that he would do so with seemingly plenty of outstanding football ahead of him.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 4, 2026

Erica Donald’s three-word rebuttal on X to speculation about her husband playing football again was also light-hearted.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 4, 2026

Mr. Garner had told him he was a terrible football player.

From "The Way to Rio Luna" by Zoraida Cordova