semifinalist

American  

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

noun

Sports.

1. a participant or one qualified to participate in a semifinal.

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semifinalist British  

/ ˌsɛmɪˈfaɪnəlɪst /

noun

1. a player or team taking part in a semifinal

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Etymology

Origin of semifinalist

1920–25; semifinal + -ist, on the model of finalist

Example Sentences

“It’s a real honor to be mentioned with those other 25 guys, certainly,” Rivers said of being named a semifinalist.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 13, 2025

Fitzgerald, who retired after the 2021 season, is a semifinalist for the 2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame class.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 4, 2025

Einat Admony — a two-time James Beard semifinalist, cookbook author, comedian and chef-owner of the widely acclaimed Balaboosta and Taim — is now adding a new title to that list: Memoirist.

From Salon • Aug. 15, 2024

It came from experience: He had been a semifinalist on the “Jeopardy!” college championship, won $20,000 on “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire,” and banked $50,000 on “The $100,000 Pyramid.”

From New York Times • May 30, 2024

The extra sign announced that the town’s Under-14s team was the third runner-up in the interstate Hundred-Yard Sprint, or that the town was the home of the Illinois Girls’ Under-16s Wrestling semifinalist.

From "American Gods" by Neil Gaiman