halftime

1 of 2

noun

half·​time ˈhaf-ˌtīm How to pronounce halftime (audio)
ˈhäf-
: an intermission between halves of a game or contest (as in football or basketball)

half-time

2 of 2

adjective

ˈhaf-ˌtīm How to pronounce half-time (audio)
ˈhäf-
: involving or working half the standard hours
half-time adverb

Examples of halftime in a Sentence

Noun The score was tied at halftime. The coaches discussed strategy during halftime.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Three more Northfield buckets later, the score is 39-29 at halftime and the Nighthawks crowd is back in this. Parker Gabriel, The Denver Post, 11 Mar. 2024 South Carolina held a 36-32 advantage at halftime after Aneesah Morrow scored 11 of her 19 points in the opening two quarters. Homero De La Fuente, CNN, 11 Mar. 2024 Alabama regrouped and pulled within 42-36 at halftime. Bob Holt, arkansasonline.com, 10 Mar. 2024 But Salesian cut its deficit to 31-27 at halftime with drives to the basket. Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2024 Stanford had to overcome a 16-point deficit to beat No. 13 Oregon State on Friday, after needing to rally from a halftime deficit Thursday against Cal. Jon Becker, The Mercury News, 9 Mar. 2024 Brewton fought through contact and got a driving layup to fall just before the break, giving the Titans a 42-33 halftime advantage. Staff and News Service Reports, Orange County Register, 8 Mar. 2024 The Heat still managed to enter halftime with a four-point lead behind 22-of-42 (52.4 percent) shooting from the field and 10-of-21 (47.6 percent) shooting from three-point range in the first half. Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 8 Mar. 2024 Wow raps at halftime during the Lakers vs. Clippers basketball game in both teams' hometown of Los Angeles on Feb. 28. Alexandra Schonfeld, Peoplemag, 1 Mar. 2024
Adjective
The mass exodus only ramped up after Kai Havertz and Declan Rice made it 5-0 before half-time. Ben Church, CNN, 5 Mar. 2024 Natascha Augustin, who was named managing director of Warner Chappell Music Germany in January, started at the company as a half-time intern, rotating among various departments. Robert Levine, Billboard, 4 Mar. 2024 Her attendance at the Super Bowl came after half-time performer Usher was announced as the new face of her loungewear, shapewear and underwear brand. Julia Moore, Peoplemag, 3 Mar. 2024 In search of an equalizer, Kilgore substituted star striker Alex Morgan into the game at half-time, but the team couldn’t find a way to break down Mexico’s resilient defense. Ben Church, CNN, 27 Feb. 2024 Nuñez was brought off at half-time in what may prove to be yet another injury problem for the Reds, on a day where Curtis Jones and Diogo Jota also had to be substituted. Joseph O'Sullivan, Forbes, 17 Feb. 2024 So does rapper and singer Jelly Roll, and the minute-long spot closes with the big game’s half-time performer, Usher. Kevin Dolak, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Feb. 2024 As we get excited for this Sunday’s entertainment, take a look back at 5 of the most iconic Super Bowl half-time beauty moments of all time. India Espy-Jones, Essence, 7 Feb. 2024 Extra Limey Guacamole This guacamole packs a punch of zesty lime that not only eases the pungency of the raw red onions but also keeps the dip bright green well after half-time ... if there is any left. Sarah Mosqueda, Los Angeles Times, 4 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'halftime.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1865, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1861, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of halftime was in 1861

Dictionary Entries Near halftime

Cite this Entry

“Halftime.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/halftime. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

halftime

noun
half·​time ˈhaf-ˌtīm How to pronounce halftime (audio)
ˈhȧf-
: an intermission marking the completion of half of a game (as in football)
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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