touchdown

American  

[tuhch-doun] / ˈtʌtʃˌdaʊn /

noun

1. Football. an act or instance of scoring six points by being in possession of the ball on or behind the opponent's goal line.

2. Rugby. the act of a player who touches the ball on or to the ground inside his own in-goal.

3. the act or the moment of landing.

   the aircraft's touchdown.

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touchdown British  

/ ˈtʌtʃˌdaʊn /

noun

1. the moment at which a landing aircraft or spacecraft comes into contact with the landing surface

2. rugby the act of placing or touching the ball on the ground behind the goal line, as in scoring a try

3.  TD.  American football a scoring play worth six points, achieved by being in possession of the ball in the opposing team's end zone See also field goal

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verb

1. (of a space vehicle, aircraft, etc) to land

2. rugby to place the ball behind the goal line, as when scoring a try

3. informal to pause during a busy schedule in order to catch up, reorganize, or rest

Etymology

Origin of touchdown

First recorded in 1860–65; touch + down ¹

Explanation

A touchdown is a six-point score in football. Another kind of touchdown is what happens the moment a landing airplane's wheels touch the ground. If you're a nervous flyer, you probably breathe a sigh of relief at touchdown. And if you're a fan of football in North America, you may roar with delight when your team makes a touchdown. The word originally referred to the moment in a rugby match when the ball is touched to the ground inside the goal. In football, a touchdown is scored when a player carries the ball into the opponent's end zone.

Example Sentences

Two years later, on “Life Round Here,” he repeats, “Everything feels like touchdown on a rainy day.”

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 13, 2026

McCarthy, who went 6-4 last year but had more interceptions than touchdown passes.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 13, 2026

He raises his right arm just in time to scoop it into his chest for a touchdown.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 5, 2026

The infinite variables in sports can quickly make many of the bets they are holding nearly worthless, whether it is because a player is severely injured or a team botches a crucial touchdown.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 9, 2026

“She’s gonna go”—I made my voice high like a girl’s—“‘Oooo, there’s that Crash Coogan scoring another touchdown.

From "Crash" by Jerry Spinelli

Related Words

• goal
• score
• six points