trifecta

American  

[trahy-fek-tuh] / ˈtraɪˌfɛk tə /

noun

1. Sports.

   1. a type of bet, especially on horse races, in which the bettor must select the first three finishers in exact order.

   2. a race in which such bets are made.

2. a group, set, or series of three; a triad.

   Plain yogurt is the perfect food, with its trifecta of carbs, protein, and fat.

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trifecta British  

/ traɪˈfɛktə /

noun

1. a form of betting in which the punter selects the first three place-winners in a horse race in the correct order

2. any achievement involving three successful outcomes

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Etymology

Origin of trifecta

First recorded in 1970–75; tri- + (per)fecta

Example Sentences

That came as a trifecta of geopolitical risk, a more hawkish-sounding Federal Reserve and another surge in oil prices spooked investors across Asia.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 19, 2026

The Greenland crisis, and the tariff risk it’s thrown up, has triggered a sell-off across most asset classes, including a trifecta of declines in U.S. stocks, bonds and its currency.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 21, 2026

“The trifecta of rich valuations, increasing macro risk, and—perhaps most importantly—deteriorating company fundamentals is very dangerous,” the authors wrote.

From Barron's • Jan. 8, 2026

Philadelphia sports fans endured a home-team trifecta, starting with the Phillies’ season-ending playoff loss to the Dodgers plus regular-season losses by the Eagles and Flyers.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 27, 2025

He said, “Lieutenant, you should know that the kid kind of hit the trifecta of troubles.”

From "The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle" by Leslie Connor