(in competitive sports) the playing of an extra game, rounds, innings, etc., in order to settle a tie.
a series of games or matches, as between the leading teams of two leagues, in order to decide a championship.
In America the most exciting play-off is the World Series.
to deal with or manipulate as if in playing a game
to play one person off against another
(intr) to take part in a play-off
sport an extra contest to decide the winner when two or more competitors are tied
a contest or series of games to determine a championship, as between the winners of two competitions
See under play both ends against the middle .
Break a tie by playing an additional game or period, as in Each team had won three games so they had to play off the tie to decide the championship .
First recorded in 1890–95; noun use of verb phrase play off
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Ilicali made headlines before the play-off final when he said he would consider legal action if reinstated Boro beat his side.
From BBC • May 23, 2026
Hull City owner Acun Ilicali has vowed to take legal action if the Tigers do not win Saturday's Championship play-off final against Middlesbrough.
From BBC • May 23, 2026
Hull have a 100% record in Championship play-off finals, winning promotion under the arch in 2008 and 2016.
From BBC • May 22, 2026
The two biggest displays of his emotion came in the second leg of Southampton's play-off against Middlesbrough, a game his side won 2-1.
From BBC • May 21, 2026
‘One time in the middle of a play-off game I had to splint a quarterback’s leg with nothing but tree branches and strapping tape.’
From "Blood of Olympus" by Rick Riordan
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
