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.

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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

But a halftime show is culture, not commitment, and the league’s honest scorecard is not flattering.

From Salon ● Sep. 9, 2026

Bad Bunny won his first-ever Emmy Award on Saturday for his historic Super Bowl halftime show, and Mariska Hargitay, who will host the Primetime Emmy Awards, won two trophies for “My Mom Jayne.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 7, 2026

“Imagine if we had pro players,” Kiffin quipped before jogging to the locker room at halftime.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 6, 2026

In 2023, Parton delivered another headline-grabbing live moment when she performed at the Dallas Cowboys' Thanksgiving halftime show, appearing in a rhinestone-studded Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders outfit.

From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026

I wanted to watch the first half of the game with Mom and Annie and her dad, but Mr. Finkle said the crowd might start a riot if they saw me before halftime.

From "The Million Dollar Shot" by Dan Gutman

Marcus has been there, throughout halftimes, huddles, on the court.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 1, 2026

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

From Seattle Times ● Nov. 7, 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