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.

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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

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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

“I’ve been preparing and training for a year now,” he said after leading yet another comeback against England in the semifinal.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 18, 2026

Spain’s formidable defense helped it smother a France team that looked invincible before wilting during a 2-0 World Cup semifinal loss Tuesday in Arlington, Texas.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 15, 2026

England and Argentina will face each other on Wednesday in a World Cup semifinal match.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026

Stan lost a closely fought semifinal match to the Argentinian, Guillermo Vilas, but he and Lutz handily won the doubles crown.

From "Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography" by Mark Mathabane

The Lakers never made it past the Western Conference finals over the next four seasons, including getting swept in the conference semifinals by the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2026.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026

Free agent additions Sandro Mamukelashvili, Quentin Grimes and Collin Sexton will fill immediately roles after the Lakers lost six rotation players from last season’s team that went to the Western Conference semifinals.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026

But as the semifinals kick off on Tuesday, the tournament—along with the entirety of Spain—is still waiting for the Lamine Yamal game.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026

Gauff ended up losing in the semifinals to Czech player Karolína Muchová.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 13, 2026

And it feels great to win—and advance to the semifinals.

From "Fast Pitch" by Nic Stone