Synonyms and antonyms of Actions in playing games or sports in British Thesaurus

backhand (noun)

in tennis and similar sports, a movement made to hit the ball in which the back of your hand moves towards the ball

backhander (noun)

informalAmerican in sports such as tennis and ice hockey, a shot or stroke made by moving the back of your hand towards the ball or puck

ball (noun)

an occasion when someone kicks, hits, or throws the ball in a game, or the way they kick, hit, or throw it

bookable offence (noun)

British an action by a football player that breaks the rules of the game and leads to the player’s name being officially recorded by the referee. After two bookable offences the player can be sent off (=made to leave the field).

cap (noun)

British if a football, rugby, or cricket player wins a cap, they play for their country in an international match

catch (noun)

an act of stopping and holding an object moving through the air, especially a ball

chip (noun)

in sport, the action of hitting or kicking a ball so that it goes high into the air for a short distance

clearance (noun)

a kick or hit of a ball away from your goal in a game such as football

corner (noun)

in football, hockey etc, a kick or hit that one team is allowed to take from a corner of the field, near the goal where they are trying to score

cross (noun)

in sports such as football, the action of kicking or hitting the ball from one side of the field to someone in the middle or on the other side

delivery (noun)

the way that someone throws a ball or makes a hit in a sport

dive (noun)

a deliberate fall by a player who is pretending that an opponent made them fall

dribble (noun)

the action of moving the ball by kicking or bouncing it several times in games such as football and basketball

drive (noun)

a hard hit or kick of a ball

dummy (noun)

British a sudden movement of your body, especially in sports such as football, in order to make your opponent think that you are going to send the ball in a different direction

fair play (noun)

the behaviour of players who follow the rules of a game and do not cheat

feint (noun)

a movement that you pretend to make, especially to trick an opponent in a sport or fight

flank (noun)

a position on the right or left side of a team or army, or the people in that position

follow-through (noun)

the final part of the movement that you make when you hit, kick, or throw the ball in a sport

footwork (noun)

the way that you move your feet when you are dancing or playing sports

foul (noun)

something that you do in a game or sport that is not allowed by the rules

free kick (noun)

in football, an occasion when a player is allowed to kick the ball without any opposition, because a player from the other team has broken a rule

fumble (noun)

a failure to hold or catch a ball in sport

game (noun)

the way that someone plays a sport

go (noun)

British your chance to play in a game or to take part in an activity

goal kick (noun)

an occasion when a goalkeeper kicks the ball forward during a game of football in order to start the game again

half volley (noun)

in some sports, a shot in which a player hits or kicks the ball just after it hits the ground

handball (noun)

in football, the offence of touching the ball with your hands

header (noun)

in football, the action of hitting a ball with your head

hit (noun)

an occasion when a player hits the ball in a game

kick (noun)

a hit with your foot

kick (noun)

an act of kicking a ball in a game

kickoff (noun)

the beginning of a game of football, when one player kicks the ball down the field

kickoff (noun)

the starting time of a football match

knockabout (noun)

an informal game with a ball

life (noun)

in a game, one of a number of times that you can lose but still continue to play

marking (noun)

the practice of staying beside a member of the other team in a game such as football in order to prevent them from getting the ball or playing effectively

obstruction (noun)

an offence in a game such as football in which you put your body between an opponent and the ball so that they cannot get it

offense (noun)

American the part of a game such as American football that involves trying to score points

offside (noun)

British an occasion when a player is offside in a game such as football

one-two (noun)

in football, a pass of the ball from one player to another and a quick pass back to the first player

on the ball (British)

British controlling the ball in a sports game

pass (noun)

a kick, hit, or throw of the ball to another player in your sports team

penalty (noun)

in football, rugby, and similar sports, a chance to score a goal or point without other players trying to take the ball off you. This is given to you because an opponent has broken a rule

penalty kick (noun)

in football, rugby, and similar sports, a chance to kick the ball directly into the goal or between the goalposts without other players trying to take the ball off you. This is given to you because an opponent has broken a rule.

penalty shoot-out (noun)

in football, a series of chances to kick the ball into the goal, given to both teams as a way of deciding who wins the game when both teams have the same score

play (noun)

the action in a sport or game

play (noun)

a particular action in a game, or the quality of the action

possession (noun)

if you have possession in a team game such as football or basketball, you have the ball

power play (noun)

American in team sports, a situation in which one team puts a large number of players in one area to achieve something by force

professional foul (noun)

in football, an action in which a player deliberately does something that is not allowed by the rules in order to stop the other team from getting an advantage

punt (noun)

the action of dropping a ball from your hands, and kicking it in the air, especially in the game of American football

rally (noun)

an occasion when two players in a game such as tennis hit the ball to each other several times before either of them wins the point

retake (noun)

an act of performing a kick or a hit again in a game such as football

return (noun)

the action of hitting a ball back to an opponent in a game such as tennis

run the clock down ()

in the final part of a sports match, to prevent the opposite team from getting the ball so that they are unable to score

run-up (noun)

a run that someone makes before jumping, throwing a ball etc

serve (noun)

a hit of a ball that starts the play in a game such as tennis

serve (noun)

a particular way of serving a ball

service (noun)

a hit of a ball that starts the play in a game such as tennis

set piece (noun)

a clever and impressive piece of play that players in a sports team have planned and practised

shoot-out (noun)

a penalty shoot-out

shot (noun)

an act of throwing, hitting, or kicking a ball, or a ball that has been thrown, hit, or kicked

slap shot (noun)

in ice hockey, a hard shot made by raising the stick high and hitting the puck with a sharp movement

slice (noun)

in sport, a way of hitting the ball on its edge so that it curves or spins

slice (noun)

a mistake in hitting a ball that makes it curve to the side instead of going straight

smash (noun)

the action of hitting a ball very hard

spike (noun)

in the sport of volleyball, a shot in which the player hits the ball downwards very hard

start (noun)

mainly journalism an occasion when a sports player takes part in a game at the beginning

stepover (noun)

in football, a sudden movement in which you step over the ball while you are running with it, in order to make an opponent think you are going to kick the ball in a different direction

strike (noun)

British a hit or kick of a ball, especially one with which you score a goal or a point

stroke (noun)

an instance of hitting the ball in some sports, or the way in which someone hits it

tackle (noun)

an attempt to take the ball from an opponent in a game such as football

throw (noun)

the action of throwing something such as a ball

throw-in (noun)

in football, an occasion when a player throws the ball back onto the field after it has gone out

touch (noun)

the action of hitting or kicking a ball

try-out (noun)

American a test for someone who wants to become a member of a team or wants to get a part in a play or film

volley (noun)

the action of hitting or kicking a ball back to an opponent before it touches the ground

wrist shot (noun)

in ice hockey, a shot in which the puck is pushed along the ice before being released with a twist of the wrists