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Meaning & use

goalposts

noun, phrase·Everyday

Last updated

UK/ˈɡəʊlpəʊsts/
US/ˈɡoʊlpoʊsts/

“goalposts” is a form of “goalpost”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.

Meanings

  1. nounpluralsport

    The two upright posts, with a bar across the top, that mark the goal in games such as football and rugby.

    Grammar: Usually plural as there are two: the ball hit the goalposts.

    Patterns

    • between the goalposts
    • hit the goalposts

    The striker's shot rattled off the goalposts.

    The groundsman repainted the goalposts before the match.

    A young boy stood between the goalposts and waited for the penalty.

  2. phraseidiomfigurativedisapproving

    The rules or targets of a task, used in the idiom move the goalposts, meaning to change them unfairly while others are trying to meet them.

    Grammar: Used in move the goalposts; the verb takes the plural noun.

    Patterns

    • move the goalposts

    Every time we met the target, the manager moved the goalposts.

    It is unfair to move the goalposts after the contest has begun.

    Students complained that the teacher had moved the goalposts on the final grade.

Word forms

singulargoalpost

Common combinations

move the goalposts
The company moved the goalposts just before the bonus was due.
hit the goalposts
His header hit the goalposts and bounced out.
between the goalposts
The goalkeeper stood between the goalposts.
shift the goalposts
Critics said the government kept shifting the goalposts.
the goalposts have moved
The goalposts have moved since I applied for the job.

Synonyms and how they differ

posts
Posts is a looser word that can mean any upright poles, while goalposts are specifically the ones at the goal.
uprights
Uprights names just the two vertical posts, mainly in rugby, and does not include the idea of the whole goal.
rules
Rules is the plain word for what goalposts stands for in the idiom, but it lacks the sense of unfair change.

Word family

goal noun
the area or structure a ball must enter to score
goalkeeper noun
the player who defends the goal
crossbar noun
the bar across the top of the goalposts
goalpost noun
one single post of the goal

Commonly confused: goalposts or targets?

goalposts vs targets

Targets are the aims people try to reach; goalposts used figuratively are the conditions that define whether the aim has been met.

Practice

Employees were angry because management kept moving the ____ after targets had been agreed.

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