halftime

American  

[haf-tahym, hahf-] / ˈhæfˌtaɪm, ˈhɑf- /

Or half-time

noun

halftimes plural

1. the period indicating completion of half the time allowed for an activity, as for a football or basketball game or an examination.

2. Sports. the intermission or rest period between the two halves of a football, basketball, or other game, during which spectators are often entertained by baton twirling, marching bands, or the like.

---

adjective

1. pertaining to or taking place during a halftime.

   The football fans were treated to a halftime exhibition by the marching band.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• halftimes
  plural

Etymology

Origin of halftime

First recorded in 1870–75; half + time

Explanation

The pause in the middle of a sporting event is halftime. If you're watching the game at home, halftime is your chance to get a snack from the kitchen! As the word implies, halftime occurs exactly halfway through a game. Sports like basketball, soccer, football, and lacrosse all have a halftime during which players can rest and strategize with their coach. Spectators can use the interlude to stretch their legs, grab a hot dog, or watch the halftime show. The first sporting use of this word is first cited in 1867; earlier it meant "half of the time," as in "She's working halftime while she takes college classes."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

halftime halftimes

Soccer legend gives verdict on World Cup final’s first-ever halftime show.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 20, 2026

FIFA’s halftime experiment proved less controversial than many feared.

From Salon ● Jul. 19, 2026

I don’t know why there even is a halftime show.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 19, 2026

BTS, Madonna and Shakira will headline the World Cup final halftime show on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, marking the first Super Bowl-style performance at a World Cup final.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026

They were talking about Webb and Forbes and how the cheerleading coach fired them on the spot for leaving at halftime.

From "Crash" by Jerry Spinelli

It still rallied to grab a 52-50 halftimes lead.

From Seattle Times ● Nov. 7, 2021

To name a few, he had IVs administered during halftimes to play with food poisoning and the flu.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 15, 2021

But there are two things about this tournament that are certain: The TV timeouts and 20-minute halftimes will take forever and, more importantly, nothing is guaranteed.

From Washington Post ● Mar. 23, 2021

As the 1995 show and several subsequent Super Bowl halftimes have proven, those moments are not easily manufactured, no matter how many snakes are involved.

From New York Times ● Jan. 30, 2020

There weren’t enough of them to form recognizable letters or shapes—except for a capital “I”—so they didn’t march much at halftimes of games.

From "Stargirl" by Jerry Spinelli