tip-off

1 of 2

noun (1)

1
2
: a telltale sign

tip-off

2 of 2

noun (2)

: the act or an instance of putting the ball in play in basketball by a jump ball

Examples of tip-off in a Sentence

Noun (1) the retreat of the island's wildlife to higher ground was a tip-off that a tsunami was about to strike
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Because clearly the YoungBoy effect doesn’t just fade by tip-off. Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 30 Oct. 2025 Maitlis also added that part of the tip-offs suggested King Charles was expected to be seen arriving at Royal Lodge, a move that would underline the monarch taking control of the situation. Janine Henni, PEOPLE, 28 Oct. 2025 That number, based on linear measurement from Nielsen and digital data from Adobe Analytics, is not only an 87% improvement from last year’s NBA tip-off, which hit 3 million viewers on TNT, but the biggest audience the doubleheader has seen in more than 10 years. Selome Hailu, Variety, 23 Oct. 2025 Christie kept his decision a secret until starting lineups were announced 30 minutes before tip-off. Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 23 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for tip-off

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

tip entry 8

Noun (2)

tip entry 5

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1901, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1922, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tip-off was in 1901

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tip-off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tip-off. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.

Kids Definition

tip-off

1 of 2 noun
ˈtip-ˌȯf
1
: a warning that something is going to happen
2
: a telltale sign

tip-off

2 of 2 noun
: the start of a basketball game when the ball is thrown in the air and a player from each team jumps up and tries to get the ball

More from Merriam-Webster on tip-off

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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