garbage time
noun
US, sports
: the final moments or minutes of a game in which one side has an insurmountable lead, substitutes often enter the game in place of starting players, and scoring is typically easier because of looser defensive play
… the forgotten foursome of Greg Kite, Fred Roberts, Sam Vicent and Conner Henry will be on call in case of extreme emergency and those meaningless minutes appropriately referred to as garbage time.—
Gerry Finn
Gerry FinnOne touchdown was all the Broncos' D allowed, and that came in garbage time.—Paul Zimmerman
Paul ZimmermanExamples of garbage time in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Pritchard managed 11 points — most of them in garbage time — after scoring at least 12 points in each game this series.
—Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 17 May 2025
In the Bucks’ first-round loss to Indiana, Jackson did not play outside of garbage time, despite the Bucks’ inability to find perimeter defenders who could consistently keep the Pacers out of the lane.
—Sam Amick, New York Times, 1 May 2025
This was a flagrant foul against competition, a full court violation of the fans that paid to see the World Champions and instead saw garbage time play.
—Ticked Off, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 Apr. 2025
Ivan Barbashev and Geekie (No. 24) traded a garbage time goals.
—Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 21 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for garbage time
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Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 17 May 2025
In the Bucks’ first-round loss to Indiana, Jackson did not play outside of garbage time, despite the Bucks’ inability to find perimeter defenders who could consistently keep the Pacers out of the lane.
—Sam Amick, New York Times, 1 May 2025
This was a flagrant foul against competition, a full court violation of the fans that paid to see the World Champions and instead saw garbage time play.
—Ticked Off, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 Apr. 2025
Ivan Barbashev and Geekie (No. 24) traded a garbage time goals.
—Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 21 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for garbage time
Cite this Entry
“Garbage time.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/garbage%20time. Accessed 29 May. 2025.
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