: a game played on a field between two teams of 11 players each with the object to propel a round ball into the opponent's goal by kicking or by hitting it with any part of the body except the hands and arms
called also association football
Examples of soccer in a Sentence
Both of their children play soccer.
Recent Examples on the Web
Head of athletics Terry Barnum said the school is committed to adding girls’ flag football once the facility opens, plus freshman teams for boys’ and girls’ soccer and girls’ lacrosse.
—
Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2025
Basketball, football, hockey, soccer, baseball, the great ones in the most important moments are at their very best and Patrick has shown that every year.
—Ryan Canfield, Fox News, 4 Feb. 2025
The show will take a big picture look at the world of women’s sports, including basketball, soccer, volleyball, college sports and more.
—Alex Weprin, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Feb. 2025
Barça has a female Chief Information Officer, Miriam Ferrando, the only female in this position of any high-profile soccer club worldwide.
—Michelle Greenwald, Forbes, 3 Feb. 2025
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Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2025
Basketball, football, hockey, soccer, baseball, the great ones in the most important moments are at their very best and Patrick has shown that every year.
—Ryan Canfield, Fox News, 4 Feb. 2025
The show will take a big picture look at the world of women’s sports, including basketball, soccer, volleyball, college sports and more.
—Alex Weprin, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Feb. 2025
Barça has a female Chief Information Officer, Miriam Ferrando, the only female in this position of any high-profile soccer club worldwide.
—Michelle Greenwald, Forbes, 3 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for soccer
Dictionary Entries Near soccer
Cite this Entry
“Soccer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/soccer. Accessed 8 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
soccer
noun
soc·cer
ˈsäk-ər 
: a football game with 11 players on a side in which a round ball is advanced by kicking it or by hitting it with any part of the body except the hands and arms
Etymology
by shortening and alteration of association football
Word Origin
Soccer is the world's most popular sport. In most countries, however, its name is not soccer but football. In England, where the modern game started, it is usually called either football or association football. The latter name comes from the fact that the rules of the game were standardized when the Football Association was founded in England in 1863. The word soccer comes from the last three letters of the abbreviation assoc., which stands for "association." Although the word soccer was first used in England, the only countries where it is now the usual name for the sport are the U.S. and Canada.
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