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
One touchdown was all the Broncos' D allowed, and that came in garbage time.Paul Zimmerman

Examples of garbage time 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.
Huff’s two-way contract with the Nuggets was over after 20 games at the NBA level — all garbage time — and 20 points per game for Denver’s G League affiliate in Grand Rapids, Mich. Bennett Durando, The Denver Post, 24 Nov. 2024 After its touchdown, Indiana failed to score on its next eight drives, finding the end zone again in garbage time. Ryan Morik, Fox News, 23 Nov. 2024 Before Banchero’s injury, da Silva had played just 5 minutes of garbage time on opening night and hadn’t seen action in Orlando’s other four games. Jason Beede, Orlando Sentinel, 23 Nov. 2024 On Sunday, Dallas fell to the Atlanta Falcons, 27-21, in a game that only looks close because of a garbage time touchdown drive led by backup quarterback Cooper Rush. C.j. Doon, Baltimore Sun, 5 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for garbage time 

Word History

First Known Use

1960, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of garbage time was in 1960

Dictionary Entries Near garbage time

Cite this Entry

“Garbage time.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/garbage%20time. Accessed 2 Dec. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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