semifinalist

American  

[sem-ee-fahyn-l-ist, sem-ahy-] / ˌsɛm iˈfaɪn l ɪst, ˌsɛm aɪ- /

noun

Sports.

1. a participant or one qualified to participate in a semifinal.

---

semifinalist British  

/ ˌsɛmɪˈfaɪnəlɪst /

noun

1. a player or team taking part in a semifinal

---

Etymology

Origin of semifinalist

1920–25; semifinal + -ist, on the model of finalist

Example Sentences

That’s what made him such an outstanding NFL quarterback, and it’s part of the reason he’s a Hall of Fame semifinalist.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 10, 2025

An eight-time Pro Bowl selection, Rivers is a Pro Football Hall of Fame semifinalist, and were the Colts to sign him to their active roster it would reset his five-year eligibility clock.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 9, 2025

Neff was also a semifinalist for a regional Best Chef award for his former restaurant PinPoint in 2019, as well as for Seabird in 2023.

From Salon • Aug. 20, 2024

It came from experience: He had been a semifinalist on the “Jeopardy!” college championship, won $20,000 on “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire,” and banked $50,000 on “The $100,000 Pyramid.”

From New York Times • May 30, 2024

The extra sign announced that the town’s Under-14s team was the third runner-up in the interstate Hundred-Yard Sprint, or that the town was the home of the Illinois Girls’ Under-16s Wrestling semifinalist.

From "American Gods" by Neil Gaiman