penalty kick

noun

1
: a free kick in rugby
2
: a free kick at the goal in soccer made from a point 12 yards in front of the goal and allowed for certain violations within a designated area around the goal

Examples of penalty kick 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.
Just ask Germany, which lost in penalty kicks to a Paraguay team that only occasionally even tried to score. — Mark Sappenfield, Christian Science Monitor, 30 June 2026 Loser goes home, just like the others bounced from this bonkers initial knockout round — dreams trounced via penalty kick or last-minute magnificence or just … a big French bully. — Tyler Estep, AJC.com, 1 July 2026 And Morocco’s win over the Dutch on Monday via penalty kicks suggests that recent developmental efforts have come to fruition. — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 30 June 2026 Morocco’s Ismael Saibari nailed the winning penalty kick to give Morocco the 3-2 win in the stage, advancing the squad to the Round of 16. — Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 30 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for penalty kick

Word History

First Known Use

1889, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of penalty kick was in 1889

Rhymes for penalty kick

See All Rhymes for penalty kick

Browse Nearby Words

penalty goal
penalty kick
penalty pass
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Penalty kick.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/penalty%20kick. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on penalty kick

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about penalty kick

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