onside kick
noun
: a kickoff in football in which the ball travels just far enough to be legally recoverable by the kicking team
Examples of onside kick in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The rule has been previously amended to allow onside kicks at any point in the game and not just in the fourth quarter.
—
Nick Harris
april 1,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
1 Apr. 2026
There were also three rules that affect kickoffs, including one that permits the kicking team to declare an onside kick at any time during the game, regardless of the score.
—
CBS News,
1 Apr. 2026
Three relate to kickoffs, including eliminating the previous requirement that a team had to be trailing to attempt an onside kick.
—
Jayna Bardahl,
New York Times,
31 Mar. 2026
Teams still wouldn’t be allowed to attempt a surprise onside kick or stack several players on one side in hopes of increasing their chances of an onside recovery.
—
Antwan Staley,
New York Daily News,
25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for onside kick
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Nick Harris
april 1,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
1 Apr. 2026
There were also three rules that affect kickoffs, including one that permits the kicking team to declare an onside kick at any time during the game, regardless of the score.
—
CBS News,
1 Apr. 2026
Three relate to kickoffs, including eliminating the previous requirement that a team had to be trailing to attempt an onside kick.
—
Jayna Bardahl,
New York Times,
31 Mar. 2026
Teams still wouldn’t be allowed to attempt a surprise onside kick or stack several players on one side in hopes of increasing their chances of an onside recovery.
—
Antwan Staley,
New York Daily News,
25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for onside kick
Cite this Entry
“Onside kick.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/onside%20kick. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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