playoff

1 of 2

noun

play·​off ˈplā-ˌȯf How to pronounce playoff (audio)
variants or less commonly play-off
1
: a final contest, series of contests, or period of play to determine the winner between contestants or teams that have tied
a golf tournament decided by an 18-hole playoff
a sudden-death playoff
2
: a series of contests played after the end of the regular season to determine a championship
usually plural except when used before another noun
Will you watch the playoffs?
got tickets to a playoff game

play off

2 of 2

verb

played off; playing off; plays off

transitive verb

1
a
: to set in opposition for one's own gain
b
: to set in contrast
2
: to complete the playing of (an interrupted contest)
3
: to break (a tie) by a playoff

Examples of playoff in a Sentence

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
As the Charlotte Hornets begin their quest to end the NBA’s longest playoff drought and tip off the second year under coach Charles Lee, questions abound. Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 20 Oct. 2025 New York fell to 2-5 with the loss to Denver, but could very well be a playoff contender if the team had closed some loose ends in some of their losses. Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 20 Oct. 2025
Verb
But Mitchell playing off the bench on Monday could also be a product of him working his way back after missing time this preseason because of his calf issue. Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 14 Oct. 2025 Landry also played off the ball some in base personnel. Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 14 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for playoff

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1895, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1736, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of playoff was in 1736

Browse Nearby Words

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Playoff.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/playoff. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

play-off

1 of 2 noun
ˈplā-ˌȯf
1
: a final contest or series of contests to break a tie
2
: a series of contests played after the end of the regular season to determine a championship
often used in plural

play off

2 of 2 verb
(ˈ)plā-ˈȯf
: to break a tie by a play-off

More from Merriam-Webster on playoff

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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