tip-off

1 of 2

noun (1)

ˈtip-ˌȯf 

1

: warning, tip

2

: a telltale sign

tip-off

2 of 2

noun (2)

: the act or an instance of putting the ball in play in basketball by a jump ball

Synonyms of tip-off

Noun (1)

• warning

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

Noun

Durant was ruled out about 90 minutes before tip-off. —Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2026

The B’s-Sabres Game 2 will start 30 minutes after the Celts-Sixers Game 2 tip-off and potential Game 5s for each series could also go head-to-head against each other. —Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 17 Apr. 2026

Saturday, the proverbial curtains will rise and Ayton will line up for tip-off, the newest postseason chapter of his NBA career. —Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 15 Apr. 2026

No tip-off times, channels, score updates, nothing on TBS, TNT, TruTV, or CBS that even hinted at the fact that the women’s tournament was going on simultaneously with the men’s games. —Eric Womack, Hartford Courant, 1 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

tip entry 8

Noun (2)

tip entry 5

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1901, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1922, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for tip-off

• ashraf
• checkoff
• cutoff
• falloff
• handoff
• kickoff
• layoff
• liftoff
• markoff
• markov
• payoff
• playoff

Kids Definition

tip-off

1 of 2 noun

ˈtip-ˌȯf

1

: a warning that something is going to happen

2

: a telltale sign

tip-off

2 of 2 noun

: the start of a basketball game when the ball is thrown in the air and a player from each team jumps up and tries to get the ball