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.
Tart surged through the line of scrimmage and squared up Hampton just after the exchange. Daniel Popper, New York Times, 25 July 2025 Hall’s numbers last season were partly a product of the Jets’ pass-happy offense with Aaron Rodgers, who would often change plays at the line of scrimmage. Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 16 July 2025 How much freedom will Rodgers have at the line of scrimmage, where games can be won and lost in those precious seconds before the snap? Tribune Content Agency, The Orlando Sentinel, 23 June 2025 It was said that Smith did not like Russell Wilson changing plays at the line of scrimmage. Mike Defabo, New York Times, 19 June 2025 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

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Cite this Entry

“Line of scrimmage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/line%20of%20scrimmage. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.

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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