line of scrimmage

noun phrase

: an imaginary line in football that is parallel to the goal lines and tangent to the nose of the ball laid on the ground and marks the position of the ball at the start of each down

Examples of line of scrimmage in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Turner drops from the line of scrimmage with smoothness and awareness. — Alec Lewis, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026 Black, on a 9-yard run in the first quarter, appeared to be stopped behind the line of scrimmage, but squeezed through a small hole and turned a short gain into a positive play. — Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 21 Aug. 2026 Giving him the ability to check the play at the line of scrimmage. — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 21 Aug. 2026 Team period notes Kansas City began practice with an 11-on-11 team blitz period, which saw George Karlaftis knock down Patrick Mahomes’ first pass at the line of scrimmage. — Pete Sweeney, Kansas City Star, 19 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for line of scrimmage

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1909, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of line of scrimmage was circa 1909

Rhymes for line of scrimmage

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Browse Nearby Words

line of Saturn
line of scrimmage
line of sight
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Line of scrimmage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/line%20of%20scrimmage. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

line of scrimmage

: an imaginary line in football parallel to the goal lines and running through the place the ball is laid before each play begins
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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