death match

or death·match

[ deth mach ]

noun

1. Professional Wrestling. a type of wrestling match in which dangerous objects such as nail-studded props, glass, and barbed wire are allowed in a graphically brutal and bloody spectacle.
2. a genre of multiplayer video game in which a player’s goal is to kill or otherwise eliminate opponents’ player characters from the match.
3. a literal or metaphorical fight to the death in which a combatant becomes the victor by eliminating one or more enemies: In a pizza topping death match, who would win—classic pepperoni or exotic pineapple?

   The slasher film Freddy vs. Jason pits the two horror icons against each other in a gory death match.

   In a pizza topping death match, who would win—classic pepperoni or exotic pineapple?

Word History and Origins

Origin of death match¹

First recorded in 1955–60 death match fordef 1, in 1970–75 death match fordef 3, and in 1990–95 death match fordef 2

Example Sentences

It pains me to say this, in the year 2014, we are in a death match.

From The Daily Beast

That is, if you ask Literary Death Match founder Adrian Todd Zuniga.

From The Daily Beast

Literary Death Match, a reading competition judged by novelists, actors, comedians, and musicians, has just taped a pilot.

From The Daily Beast

Krugman plays his part in this death match, seeing all who disagree as tools of capital and instruments of greed.

From The Daily Beast

She's fighting to the bookish death at the Literary Death Match in NYC on June 25.

From The Daily Beast