tiebreaker

noun

tie·​break·​er ˈtī-ˌbrā-kər 

plural tiebreakers

1

: an additional contest or period of play used to select a winner when a competition or part of a competition ends in a tie

… after a 90-minute rain delay in the third set, won a riveting tiebreaker.

—L. Jon Wertheim

called also tiebreak

2

: a person whose vote breaks a tie

The vice president served as a tiebreaker in the last Senate vote.

3

: a final vote, point, or score that determines the winner in a contest

She cast the tiebreaker.

Examples of tiebreaker in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

If the Sox and Guardians finish with the same record, the Sox own the tiebreaker and would win the division title. — Chicago Tribune, 19 Sep. 2026

The Astros hold the head-to-head tiebreaker after winning the season series. — ABC News, 18 Sep. 2026

By winning the season series, the Cubs (84-68) hold the tiebreaker advantage over the Philadelphia Phillies (83-68), San Diego Padres (82-69) and Arizona Diamondbacks (80-72). — Patrick Mooney, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026

The Yankees, having already won the season series against Boston, hold a tiebreaker over their fiercest foes. — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 15 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1904, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Rhymes for tiebreaker

• blackacre
• caretaker
• clockmaker
• dressmaker
• filmmaker
• homemaker
• icebreaker
• lawmaker
• matchmaker
• pacemaker
• partaker
• peacemaker