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

Yastremska - who in 2024 reached the semifinal stage of the Australian Open - is currently 113th in the women's world singles rankings.

From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2026

Open semifinal in epic fashion, knocking off defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in a five-set marathon that did not end until 3:33 a.m.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026

The company provided Reggie Jean-Brice with what it called a “complimentary upgrade” after his $12,500 field-level tickets for a World Cup semifinal match between France and Spain weren’t available.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026

The World Cup semifinal — one of the biggest matches a referee can officiate — had just been entrusted to the Salvadoran.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2026

In the semifinal round, we faced the formidable Russian team.

From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad

That’s how she crushed Jessica Pegula in straight sets in the semifinals.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 12, 2026

Team USA is set to play Spain at the semifinals on Saturday.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 10, 2026

Dos Pueblos went 24-3 and fell to JSerra in the Division 1 semifinals last season.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 9, 2026

She has previously reached the semifinals and quarterfinals at the Cincinnati Open in 2012 and 2019, respectively, and she holds a 12-10 overall record at the event.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026

Our beloved football team loses the state semifinals, which concludes my inaugural varsity cheerleading season at Decatur High.

From "Odd One Out" by Nic Stone