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

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Etymology

Origin of halftime

First recorded in 1870–75; half + time

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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

And so I ask: Two lost fumbles before halftime?

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 25, 2026

A meager 84 yards through the air and a modest 14-7 halftime lead?

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 25, 2026

"You know, we do the Super Bowl halftime show, we need to make sure that we still have performers in 10, 20, 30 years," he tells BBC News.

From BBC ● Oct. 24, 2026

U2 will headline the halftime show when the Rams host the Green Bay Packers at SoFi Stadium on Nov. 25, in the NFL’s first Thanksgiving eve game, which will stream on Netflix.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 20, 2026

It was locked but Ducky said it was so big they could probably do brain surgery in the locker room at halftime.

From "Slam!" by Walter Dean Myers

When players cooled themselves with cold drinks and icy towels during short breaks and took longer halftimes, their core temperatures and cardiovascular strain lowered considerably more than they did after only passive breaks, Brown wrote.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 7, 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

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