semifinal

American  

[sem-ee-fahyn-l, sem-ahy-] / ˌsɛm iˈfaɪn l, ˌsɛm aɪ- /

adjective

1. of or relating to the round preceding the final one in a tournament from which losers are eliminated.

2. (in boxing) of or relating to the second most important bout on a card, usually immediately preceding the main bout.

---

noun

semifinals plural

1. a semifinal contest or round.

2. (in boxing) the second most important bout on a card.

semifinal British  

/ ˌsɛmɪˈfaɪnəl /

noun

1. 1. the round before the final in a competition

   2. ( as modifier )

      the semifinal draw

---

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• semifinals
  plural

Etymology

Origin of semifinal

First recorded in 1880–85; semi- + final

Explanation

In sports, a semifinal is the next-to the last game (or series of games) in a big tournament. In a semifinal, four teams or players compete against each other for a spot in the final round. Professional sports like hockey, soccer, and basketball — as well as competitive activities including poker and debate — have a series of elimination rounds before a winner is declared. The very last of those playoff games is the semifinal, a word that was coined in the 1860s from the Latin semi, "half," and final, whose Latin root means "end." The round before the semifinal, in which eight teams play, is called a quarterfinal.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

semifinal semifinals

At this World Cup, authorities didn’t bother segregating them, including at the potentially fractious semifinal between ancient enemies England and Argentina.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 18, 2026

Lionel Messi had two assists, deftly helping Argentina’s attack pick apart England’s defense during a 2-1 World Cup semifinal win in Atlanta on Wednesday.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026

Spain will play the winner of the semifinal match between England and Argentina.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026

His two goals, including one in extra time, helped turn a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 victory over Norway and put England into its fourth ever semifinal at this tournament.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 12, 2026

My next match was in the semifinal round against Mariel.

From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad

The Three Lions have banged in 13 goals on their march to the semifinals.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 16, 2026

Messi, for instance, entered the semifinals of this World Cup as the tournament’s all-time leading scorer with 21 goals.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 15, 2026

Spain defeated France 2-0 in the World Cup semifinals in Arlington, Texas, to advance to the final.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026

In another column, we could argue the merits of moving the final round of the WBC — the semifinals and championship game — to July, when players “otherwise would be playing in major league games.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2026

Zarra and I both breeze through to the semifinals.

From "Black Brother, Black Brother" by Jewell Parker Rhodes