Meaning & use
Punted
Last updated
Kicked a ball, especially in football, by dropping it and kicking it before it hits the ground; also, informally, made a risky guess or decision.
See it in a sentence
The kicker punted the ball 50 yards downfield.
Unsure what to do, the committee punted on the decision until next month.
A note on using this word
The informal sense of 'punting' a decision — delaying or gambling on it — comes from American football strategy, where a team gives up possession by kicking.
Words with a similar meaning
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Another way to use it
2. verb
Traveled or propelled a flat-bottomed boat using a long pole.
They punted along the river on a lazy summer afternoon.
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