death match

American  

[deth mach] / ˈdɛθ ˌmætʃ /

Or deathmatch

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?

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Etymology

Origin of death match

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

Example Sentences

Part of the series’ breathtaking cinematic scope includes occasional jolts of action, and this long-foreshadowed death match lives up to the best of those scenes.

From Salon • Sep. 24, 2025

The medical board does not name patients in its accusations, but details of her surgery and death match those of Johnson, whose husband sued Naim and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 6, 2024

“It’s not a death match or anything,” he told The Hollywood Reporter.

From New York Times • Sep. 5, 2022

If this week’s episode set up anything at all, it’s the absolute death match that is certainly going to happen before the finale.

From The Guardian • Apr. 18, 2019

What do you get when you mix Fortnite, the incredibly popular online team death match computer game, with England's World Cup star Jesse Lingard?

From BBC • Jul. 30, 2018