: ending a baseball game immediately by causing the winning run to score for the home team in the bottom of the last inning
a walk-off homer
also : won by the home team in the bottom of the last inning
a walk-off win

Examples of walk-off in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Maile had many highlights in Toronto, including a walkoff home run in 2018. James Weber, Cincinnati.com, 11 May 2020 Milwaukee Brewers relief pitcher Matt Albers heads off the mound after giving up a solo walkoff home run to Colorado Rockies’ Trevor Story in the 10th inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 28, 2019, in Denver. Michael Kelly, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Sep. 2019 Video of his walkoff home run in the 2019 American League Championship Series against the Yankees and his staunch refusal to have his jersey torn off by his teammates, as is a celebratory custom, was cited as damning evidence. Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 17 Jan. 2020 Jordan Mallernee delivered a clutch two-out, walkoff single to advance Cleveland to the semifinals. Marc Bona, cleveland.com, 12 Aug. 2019 Heyward was sidelined and placed under concussion protocol after crashing into the rightfield wall May 6 trying to snare what became a walkoff home run by Dexter Fowler. Si.com Staff, SI.com, 18 June 2018 And Brad Peacock, the man who surrendered the walkoff home run in Cleveland, ensured no such replication would occur. Chandler Rome, Houston Chronicle, 1 June 2018 Rookies Jacob Rhame and Gerson Bautista were at the center of the action, with Bautista coughing up the walkoff home run to Johan Camargo in the bottom of the ninth inning. James Wagner, New York Times, 29 May 2018 The storybook scene could not have been scripted any better: On baseball’s return to Montreal, a native son and the progeny of one of the Expos’ greatest players ever delivers a victory for the Canadian team with a walkoff home run. Jorge L. Ortiz, USA TODAY, 25 May 2018

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'walk-off.' 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

1990, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of walk-off was in 1990

Dictionary Entries Near walk-off

Cite this Entry

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

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