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
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Often lines up at the line of scrimmage in Jones’ man-to-man scheme and his bump-and-run skill throws receivers off their routes.
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Chris Hays, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Apr. 2026
No matter how big or strong a player is, Ponds will try to run through them and attack them either at the line of scrimmage or in coverage.
—Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 25 Apr. 2026
If there’s trust on the back end, James can move up closer to the line of scrimmage to make plays and wreak havoc.
—Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2026
When James is playing in these roles closer to the line of scrimmage, a third safety must come onto the field.
—Daniel Popper, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2026
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Chris Hays, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Apr. 2026
No matter how big or strong a player is, Ponds will try to run through them and attack them either at the line of scrimmage or in coverage.
—Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 25 Apr. 2026
If there’s trust on the back end, James can move up closer to the line of scrimmage to make plays and wreak havoc.
—Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2026
When James is playing in these roles closer to the line of scrimmage, a third safety must come onto the field.
—Daniel Popper, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for line of scrimmage
Cite this Entry
“Line of scrimmage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/line%20of%20scrimmage. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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