: the act or an instance of putting the ball in play in basketball by a jump ball
Examples of tip-off in a Sentence
Noun (1)
the retreat of the island's wildlife to higher ground was a tip-off that a tsunami was about to strike
Recent Examples on the Web
Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 22 Jan. 2026
For now, fans can hope for an eventful WNBA tip-off schedule, which features all 15 teams — including new expansion franchises Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire — during the opening weekend of play.
—Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 21 Jan. 2026
With parties, gallery openings, and brand activations afoot, Forbes caught up with the Heat’s most stylish leading men there, talking fashion between fits and tip-off.
—Tiana Randall, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
The Bulls average more than 20,000 fans at the United Center, but there were plenty of empty seats at tip-off, which came 30 minutes after the Los Angeles Rams and Bears kicked off their NFC division round game a few miles away at Soldier Field.
—CBS News, 19 Jan. 2026
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Noun
The Heat then announced two hours prior to Thursday night’s tip-off that Ware would return to Miami for additional treatment, leaving him unavailable for the final two stops of the trip – Saturday night against the Utah Jazz and Sunday against the Phoenix Suns.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 22 Jan. 2026
For now, fans can hope for an eventful WNBA tip-off schedule, which features all 15 teams — including new expansion franchises Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire — during the opening weekend of play.
—Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 21 Jan. 2026
With parties, gallery openings, and brand activations afoot, Forbes caught up with the Heat’s most stylish leading men there, talking fashion between fits and tip-off.
—Tiana Randall, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
The Bulls average more than 20,000 fans at the United Center, but there were plenty of empty seats at tip-off, which came 30 minutes after the Los Angeles Rams and Bears kicked off their NFC division round game a few miles away at Soldier Field.
—CBS News, 19 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tip-off
Cite this Entry
“Tip-off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tip-off. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
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