best (out) of three/five/seven

idiom

used to say that the winner of a series of games, sets, etc. will be the one that wins the majority of the odd number (three, five, seven, etc.) maximum to be played
The team advanced to the finals by winning the best out of seven semifinal series four games to one.
The winner of a best of five set tennis match must win three sets.

Examples of best (out) of three/five/seven 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.
Both fields will play best of three sets with the winner of a set being the first to reach six games (winning by at least two games). NBC News, 28 July 2024 The best of three championship series is scheduled for Aug. 5, 7 and 9, if necessary. Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 28 July 2024 The match will be a best of five series, with the winners taking home more than a million dollars and, of course, the title of Dota 2 world champions. Mike Stubbs, Forbes, 15 Sep. 2024 Gauff, the World No. 2, must win the best out of three sets to advance to the next round. 4d ago / 10:13 AM PDT Copied Share Basketball: USA defeats Serbia to open group play Rohan Nadkarni USA began its gold medal defense with a win, defeating Serbia 110-84 in its group play opener. NBC News, 29 July 2024 With the series now becoming a best of three, the onus of closing this one out will fall on the superstar shoulders of Doncic and Irving. Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 May 2024 Each round is the best of three throws, Maruszewski said. Hannah Kirby, Journal Sentinel, 1 Apr. 2024 Tug-of-War: The newest addition to the Pro Bowl Games features five-player teams facing off in a best of three competition. Ayrton Ostly, USA TODAY, 4 Jan. 2024 But perhaps the most drastic change has to do with time: instead of playing best of three (or five) sets, play is timed in eight-minute quarters, so an entire match lasts no longer than 40 minutes. Elizabeth Doerr, Robb Report, 15 Feb. 2024

Dictionary Entries Near best (out) of three/five/seven

best of luck

best (out) of three/five/seven

bestow

Cite this Entry

“Best (out) of three/five/seven.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/best%20%28out%29%20of%20three%2Ffive%2Fseven. Accessed 14 Nov. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!