tiebreaker

noun

tie·​break·​er ˈtī-ˌbrā-kər 

plural tiebreakers

1

: an additional contest or period of play used to select a winner when a competition or part of a competition ends in a tie

… after a 90-minute rain delay in the third set, won a riveting tiebreaker.

—L. Jon Wertheim

called also tiebreak

2

: a person whose vote breaks a tie

The vice president served as a tiebreaker in the last senate vote.

3

: a final vote, point, or score that determines the winner in a contest

She cast the tiebreaker.

Examples of tiebreaker in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Otherwise, the Seahawks would need to beat the Rams in Week 18 and hope to claim the strength-of-victory tiebreaker. —Jeff Howe and Austin Mock, The Athletic, 24 Dec. 2024

Due to tiebreakers, the Eagles would be eliminated from contention for the No. 1 seed with a loss to the Cowboys or if the Lions defeat the San Francisco 49ers in Week 17. —Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 23 Dec. 2024

There is a third scenario where in addition to the Colts winning out, the Miami Dolphins do so as well, creating a three-way tie of the Colts, Broncos, and Cincinnati Bengals/Dolphins in which the Colts win the tiebreaker. —Gord Magill, Newsweek, 21 Dec. 2024

The Bills are the only team to defeat the 13-1 Chiefs this season, and therefore hold a potential tiebreaker for the No. 1 seed in the AFC and home-field advantage in the postseason. —Sam Joseph, CNN, 17 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1904, in the meaning defined at sense 3