tiebreaker

American

[tahy-brey-ker] / ˈtaɪˌbreɪ kər /

Often tiebreak

noun

a system for breaking a tie score at the end of regulation play by establishing a winner through special additional play, usually of a fairly short duration, as in tennis and soccer.

Etymology

Origin of tiebreaker

First recorded in 1960–65; tie + breaker ¹

Vocabulary lists containing tiebreaker

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Example Sentences

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Mira Costa ended Redondo Union’s 18-match winning streak and evened up the league standings, but the Mustangs gained the tiebreaker by virtue of fewer sets lost head-to-head.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 21, 2026

This can be hard to figure out in 50/50 custody arrangements, and so some families revert to the parent who provides the most financial support as a tiebreaker.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 23, 2026

The critical conference game will decide the head-to-head tiebreaker between the teams that are separated by half a game in the standings.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 13, 2026

The Broncos have the tiebreaker edge on the Patriots so just need to win, but should Denver stumble, New England can bag top spot with a win over Miami.

From BBC • Dec. 30, 2025

“Ten questions,” he said, “and a tiebreaker if we need one. The team with the most correct answers is the winning team. The prize this year: a baseball signed by...”

From "Okay for Now" by Gary D. Schmidt

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023