English Reference
Adjective

goalless

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate UK /ɡˈəʊlɛs/ goal·less Sports

adj.describing a game or match where no one scores any points. It is often used in sports like soccer or hockey.

adj.characterised by the absence of scoring; resulting in a tie or draw because neither side managed to score. Often used in the context of sports such as football or ice hockey.


SIMPLE

The two teams played a goalless match.

CONTEXTUAL

After ninety minutes of intense play, the game ended goalless, forcing the teams into a penalty shootout.

COMPLEX

The defensive strategies of both sides were so effective that the final whistle blew on a goalless draw, much to the disappointment of the home fans.

QPR’s Richard Kone missed several chances in a goalless draw with Bolton at Loftus Road.

The Guardian· 22 Aug 2026

Northampton and Swindon played out a goalless draw at Sixfields.

The Guardian· 15 Aug 2026

From goal + -less.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Occasional
Updated