Meaning & use
goal post
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountable
One of the two upright poles that form the goal in games like soccer or hockey.
Grammar: Usually used in the plural 'goal posts' for the pair.
Patterns
- hit the goal post
- between the goal posts
The ball hit the goal post and bounced away.
He painted the goal posts white before the match.
The goalkeeper stood between the goal posts.
nouncountableAmerican
In American football, a tall structure with two uprights and a crossbar that players kick the ball through.
Grammar: Often plural 'goal posts' for the whole structure.
Patterns
- kick through the goal posts
- the goal posts are wide
The kicker sent the ball through the goal posts.
The goal posts in American football are much taller than in soccer.
Word forms
| plural | goal posts |
|---|
Common combinations
- hit the goal post
- She hit the goal post with a powerful shot.
- between the goal posts
- The ball went between the goal posts for a score.
- move the goal posts
- Changing the rules now is like moving the goal posts.
Synonyms and how they differ
- upright
- A more general word for a vertical post, not only in sports.
Word family
- goalpost noun
- British spelling of the same word.
Commonly confused: goal post or goal line?
goal post vs goal line
The goal line is the line on the field; the goal post is the physical pole.
Practice
In soccer, where is the goal post?
Choose one answer.
The goal post stands at the edge of the goal, forming its frame. The other options are other parts of the field.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “goal post”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.