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
played off; playing off; plays off
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
Justin Grasso, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 June 2025
Porzingis returned to action as the regular season wound down, but his symptoms returned in the playoffs, zapping his energy and severely limiting his effectiveness.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 25 June 2025
Jack Magruder, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025
In designing a Connecticut mudroom, Creer landed on a grid of three horizontal rows in the cabinet doors, which plays off the block print pattern in the blue and white wallpaper.
—Monika Biegler Eyers, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for playoff
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Noun
Although the Steelers' playoff run was short, Wilson started in his 17th postseason game as the Steelers looked to make it out of the Wild Card round.
—Justin Grasso, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 June 2025
Porzingis returned to action as the regular season wound down, but his symptoms returned in the playoffs, zapping his energy and severely limiting his effectiveness.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 25 June 2025
Verb
At the same time, centers are the most likely to be played off the floor, and the Thunder seldom had both Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein in the game at the same time in their NBA Finals win over Indiana.
—Jack Magruder, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025
In designing a Connecticut mudroom, Creer landed on a grid of three horizontal rows in the cabinet doors, which plays off the block print pattern in the blue and white wallpaper.
—Monika Biegler Eyers, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for playoff
Cite this Entry
“Playoff.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/playoff. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.
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