own goal

noun

1
chiefly British : a goal in soccer, hockey, etc., that a player accidentally scores against his or her own team
2
British : something that one does thinking it will help him or her but that actually causes one harm
The workers scored an own goal by demanding such high wages that no one could afford to employ them.

Examples of own goal 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.
That does include a win in the team's most recent match, though, a 3-2 win over Ipswich Town that was aided by an Ipswich own goal. William Lambers, Newsweek, 9 Mar. 2025 The Eagles scored 10 seconds in on an odd own goal. Corey Masisak, The Denver Post, 3 Mar. 2025 Has their success increased the chances of an own goal? Max Goldbart, Deadline, 28 Feb. 2025 United came back to take the lead when Bruno Fernandes’ cross was headed into his own goal by Sam Morsy before Matthijs de Ligt scrambled in a second. Laurie Whitwell, The Athletic, 26 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for own goal

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Own goal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/own%20goal. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!