Meaning & use
an audible in football
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Meanings
phrasecountableAmericansport
A change of play called by the quarterback just before the snap after seeing the defense.
Grammar: Countable: you can say 'call an audible' or 'check into an audible'.
Patterns
- call an audible
- check into an audible
- audible at the line
The quarterback saw the blitz and called an audible.
He checked into an audible when the defense shifted.
The coach trusts his quarterback to call an audible at the line of scrimmage.
phrasecountablefigurativeinformal
A last-minute change of plans in any situation, especially in business or politics.
Grammar: Often used figuratively outside sports: 'call an audible' means to change strategy suddenly.
Patterns
- call an audible
- an audible on the plan
The CEO called an audible and switched the launch date.
When the deal fell through, they called an audible and pitched a different product.
Common combinations
- call an audible
- The quarterback called an audible when he saw the defense.
- check into an audible
- He checked into an audible after the safety moved up.
- audible at the line
- The audible at the line changed the play completely.
Synonyms and how they differ
- check
- In sports, a 'check' is a change called at the line, but 'audible' is the standard term in American football.
- adjustment
- An 'adjustment' is any change; an 'audible' is specifically a play change before the snap.
Commonly confused: an audible in football or audible?
an audible in football vs audible
As an adjective, 'audible' means loud enough to be heard; the football phrase is a noun.
Practice
In American football, what does it mean to 'call an audible'?
Choose one answer.
Calling an audible means the quarterback changes the play just before the snap. The other options are different actions in football.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “an audible in football”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.