playoff
word
Definition
A series of games or matches played after the regular season to determine the overall winner of a sports competition, or a single tiebreaker match.
Usage & Nuances
Most commonly used for sports, especially American sports leagues like the NBA, NFL, or MLB. Can refer to a full series (the playoffs) or a single tiebreaker match. Usually plural when talking about the full tournament. Not used for every sports system; some use 'finals' or 'knockout stage' instead.
Example Sentences
Our team made it to the playoffs this year.
basic
The winner of the playoff will go to the finals.
basic
They lost in the first round of the playoffs.
basic
Did you catch last night's playoff game? It was intense!
natural
He’s hoping to break his scoring record during the playoffs.
natural
Some teams perform better in the playoffs than in the regular season.
natural