halftime

1 of 2

noun

half·​time ˈhaf-ˌtīm 

ˈhäf-

: an intermission between halves of a game or contest (as in football or basketball)

half-time

2 of 2

adjective

ˈhaf-ˌtīm 

ˈhäf-

: involving or working half the standard hours

half-time adverb

Examples of halftime in a Sentence

Noun

The score was tied at halftime.

The coaches discussed strategy during halftime.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

His 8-yard touchdown pass to Jalen Brown with 53 seconds left in the first half gave the Razorbacks a 35-14 halftime lead. —Arkansas Online, 7 Sep. 2025

The Tigers evened the game by halftime and finished on a two-touchdown sprint after the Jayhawks had taken a 31-28 lead. —Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 7 Sep. 2025

Adjective

Sure enough, Enciso shone on his return to the team, as a half-time substitute in a 3-1 home defeat by rivals Crystal Palace, but his tendency to go it alone was highlighted in a 0-0 home draw with Brentford just after Christmas. —Andy Naylor, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2025

As the players left the field at half-time, boos cascaded down from the stands at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. —Zak Garner-Purkis, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1865, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1861, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for halftime

• airtime
• bedtime
• daytime
• downtime
• enzyme
• lifetime
• longtime
• lunchtime
• mealtime
• meantime
• nighttime
• noontime

Kids Definition

halftime

noun

half·​time ˈhaf-ˌtīm 

ˈhȧf-

: an intermission marking the completion of half of a game (as in football)