# soccer

/ˈsɑkɝ/ (US) · /sˈɒkɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/soccer
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. the sport

noun · CEFR A2 · American English

a game played by two teams who try to kick a ball into a goal without using their hands.

For teachers: a form of football played with a round ball, where players (except goalkeepers) are prohibited from using their hands or arms.

- The kids are playing soccer in the park after school today.
- The university's soccer team secured a place in the national finals after a series of impressive victories against their regional rivals.

Usage: Uncountable noun; usually takes no article.

Teaching tip: In the UK and most of the world, this sport is called 'football'. In the US, Canada, and Australia, 'football' usually refers to other sports, so 'soccer' is used to avoid confusion.

### 2. to kick the ball

verb · CEFR C2 · Technical

to kick a ball directly off the ground.

For teachers: to kick a ball along the ground without picking it up or using the hands.

- The player managed to soccer the ball away from the goal.
- In a desperate defensive move, the fullback soccered the ball toward the sideline to prevent a corner kick.

Usage: Transitive verb.

Teaching tip: This is a very rare technical term in sports; learners should almost always use 'kick' instead.

## Examples

- We play soccer every Saturday at the local park.
- The children joined a local soccer league to improve their teamwork and stay active during the summer.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.