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
Clark revealed this summer what she and Swift were seen whispering about in a suite during the Chiefs’ playoff game against the Houston Texans back in January. Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2025 During those 14 seasons with non-California teams, Gandy played in 203 games (207 if playoffs are included) and only 15 of those games—about 7%—were in California. Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 13 Oct. 2025
Verb
Go with the Pleated Denim Mini Skirt, whose 100-percent regenerative cotton is not only good for the planet but will be able to play off your button-ups, cardigans, and even sweatshirts marvelously well. Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 10 Oct. 2025 Yet Leto never shakes the role’s robotic nature, even as his character strives to become more human, and his acting partners struggle to play off that in a meaningful way. David Sims, The Atlantic, 10 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

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Cite this Entry

“Playoff.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/playoff. Accessed 17 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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