zone defense

American  

noun

Sports.

1. a method of defense, especially in basketball and football, in which each member of the defensive team guards a specified portion of the playing area.

---

Etymology

Origin of zone defense

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

Those underdogs tend to follow a simple recipe—they have one or two elite skills, like 3-point shooting or an airtight zone defense, that can tilt a seeming mismatch in their favor.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 9, 2026

They finally found one by going to the zone defense that has been a rarity under Cronin.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 4, 2025

Redick admitted that he caught himself in the first halfway briefly longing for James when the Lakers were struggling to score against a zone defense.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 22, 2025

They didn’t make a basket again until 3:01 into the second half — a stretch of 9 minutes, 53 seconds — as Oregon befuddled the Wildcats with a zone defense for much of that stretch.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 15, 2024

The second-string girls’ team is going over a zone defense, so Erin’s back is against the wall; she’s hugging her legs and resting her chin on her knees.

From "Boy21" by Matthew Quick