break point

noun

: a situation in tennis in which the receiving player can win the game by scoring the next point

also : the point so scored

Examples of break point in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Zverev slips The top two seeds appeared perfectly matched until Zverev earned his first break point of the match at 3-3 in the third set — 2 hours and 42 minutes in. — Andrew Dampf, Los Angeles Times, 12 July 2026

Zverev slips The top two seeds appeared perfectly matched until Zverev earned his only break point of the match at 3-3 in the third set — 2 hours and 42 minutes in. — Andrew Dampf, Chicago Tribune, 12 July 2026

Sinner then broke Djokovic for 1-0 in the third set when the Serb netted a forehand volley on break point. — Adam Zagoria, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026

That was the only break point opportunity in the set, as both players found another gear — and plenty of energy. — Ava Wallace, New York Times, 7 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1969, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for break point

• adjoint
• anoint
• appoint
• checkpoint
• conjoint
• disjoint
• endpoint
• gunpoint
• midpoint
• nonpoint
• pinpoint
• standpoint