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

The Kings are currently projected to have the 13th overall pick in the June 26-27 draft after winning a tiebreaker with the Golden State Warriors. —Jason Anderson, Sacramento Bee, 1 May 2024

The movie does not clarify who ultimately wins the match and ends as Tashi reacts to the pair colliding during a tiebreaker point. —Tommy McArdle, Peoplemag, 1 May 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1904, in the meaning defined at sense 3