1
: the start of a race or an attack
2
: a jumping competition to break a tie at the end of regular competition (as in a horse show)

Examples of jump-off in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
The flagpole was the meeting point for protests; the trees were the party jump-off. Jazmine Hughes, The New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2024 Known for playing Claire Bennet in Heroes, Kirby Reed in slasher franchise Scream and Juliette Barnes in Nashville, Panettiere will take an as yet unspecified role in the film, which uses Wes Craven’s cult 2006 picture The Breed as a jump-off point. Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 30 Aug. 2024 The two friends shared an emotional hug upon their decision to each take home a gold rather than move into a jump-off to determine a winner. Tanisha Bhat, Peoplemag, 1 July 2024 But season 2 would be some sort of fictional jump-off point of some kind. EW.com, 9 May 2024 Summer Young, Menlo School track & field: Young, a senior, won a jump-off and cleared 5-5 to take gold in the high jump at the Stanford Invitational. Joseph Dycus, The Mercury News, 1 Apr. 2024 Director Howard, sort of using a script credited to Jeffrey Price and Peter S. Seaman (both of Who Framed Roger Rabbit fame) as his frequent jump-off point, gooses the material with odd asides. Michael Rechtshaffen, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Nov. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1917, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of jump-off was in 1917

Dictionary Entries Near jump-off

Cite this Entry

“Jump-off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jump-off. Accessed 14 Nov. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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