zone defense

noun

: a system of defense (as in basketball or football) in which each player guards an assigned area rather than a specified opponent

Examples of zone defense in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Highlanders’ zone defense can perplex their opponents. Steve Fryer, Orange County Register, 16 Jan. 2025 The lack of scoring efficiency allowed Penn State to stay close early, with the Bruins and Lions trading leads eight times during the back-and-forth battle. UCLA’s zone defense eventually started earning stops, allowing the Bruins to build a lead. Anthony De Leon, Los Angeles Times, 16 Jan. 2025 The Aggies run a zone defense, regularly forcing opponents to shoot from beyond the arc. Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 12 Jan. 2025 According to Second Spectrum, the Warriors scored just 0.83 points per possession on 53 half-court possessions against the Heat’s zone defense. Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 8 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for zone defense 

Word History

First Known Use

1927, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of zone defense was in 1927

Dictionary Entries Near zone defense

Cite this Entry

“Zone defense.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/zone%20defense. Accessed 28 Jan. 2025.

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Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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