round-robin

noun

round-rob·​in ˈrau̇nd-ˌrä-bən 

1

a

: a written petition, memorial, or protest to which the signatures are affixed in a circle so as not to indicate who signed first

b

: a statement signed by several persons

c

: something (such as a letter) sent in turn to the members of a group each of whom signs and forwards it sometimes after adding comment

2

: roundtable sense 1

3

: a tournament in which every contestant meets every other contestant in turn

4

: series, round

Synonyms of round-robin

• seminar
• symposium
• conference
• panel

Examples of round-robin in a Sentence

a round-robin to discuss the epidemic of performance-enhancing drugs plaguing professional sports

Recent Examples on the Web

During the round-robin Group Stage, teams are awarded three points for a win, one point for a draw and zero points for a loss. —Mark Harris, FOXNews.com, 10 June 2026

The 2026 men’s World Cup group stage consists of 12 groups of four competing in round-robin competition, an increase of 16 teams from the last men’s World Cup. —San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 June 2026

The 2026 men’s World Cup group stage consists of 12 groups of four competing in round-robin competition, an increase of 16 teams from the last men’s World Cup. —Mercury News, 8 June 2026

Since 1998, the World Cup has been a 32-team tournament, with 16 countries advancing to the knockout stage after the round-robin group stage. —Andy Yamashita, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

from the name Robin

First Known Use

1698, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for round-robin

• globin
• haemoglobin
• hemoglobin
• myoglobin

Kids Definition

round-robin

noun

ˈrau̇n-ˌdräb-ən

1

: a letter (as of protest) whose signers put their signatures in a circle so the receiver cannot tell who signed first

2

: a tournament in which every contestant plays once against every other contestant