Definition

Adjective: * Having no points or goals: Describes a period of play in a game, match, or contest during which neither side has earned any points, runs, or goals. It emphasizes the absence of scoring.

Usage

The adjective "scoreless" is used to modify nouns related to segments or the entirety of a competitive event. It is most commonly applied to sports like soccer, hockey, baseball, and American football. * It typically precedes nouns like game, match, tie, draw, inning, period, quarter, half, or first half. * It can also be used predicatively (after a linking verb like was or remained).

Examples

• The first half of the championship match was scoreless.
• Both pitchers were dominant, resulting in a scoreless game through nine innings.
• The match ended in a scoreless draw.
• The quarter remained scoreless despite several shooting opportunities.

Advanced Usage

• Extended Metaphor: While primarily used in sports, "scoreless" can be used metaphorically in other competitive or measurable contexts to indicate a lack of progress or achievement.
  • The negotiations were scoreless after three hours of debate.

Variants and Related Words

• Goalless (adj): A near-synonym specifically used in sports like soccer and hockey where points are called "goals." (e.g., a ).
• Shutout (n): A term for a game where one team prevents the other from scoring any points. While related, a "shutout" focuses on the defensive achievement of one team, whereas "scoreless" neutrally describes the state of the game itself.

Synonyms

• Tied at zero
• Nil-nil (primarily UK English for soccer)
• Zero-zero

Antonyms

• High-scoring
• Decisive (in terms of result)

Adjective

1. having no points scores
   • a scoreless inning