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
L. Jon Wertheimcalled 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
The rules for include a two-hour time limit, no bunting and a one-on-one tiebreaker face-off at the end of the game if it’s tied.
—Irit Skulnik, Baltimore Sun, 30 July 2025
That win over Las Vegas gives Indiana the 2-1 edge in the season series, which is crucial in any potential tiebreaker scenarios at the end of the season.
—Chloe Peterson, IndyStar, 25 July 2025
While the tiebreaker procedures are spelled out for all to see on pages 83-84 of the 2022-26 Collective Bargaining Agreement, most of Tuesday night’s participants and observers alike seemed unaware of what was in store after Chapman recorded the final out of the ninth.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 16 July 2025
Boone’s reaction was in line with many of the All-Stars after the National League claimed a 7-6 victory at Atlanta’s Truist Park behind the first swing-off tiebreaker in the event’s 95-year history.
—Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 16 July 2025
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Irit Skulnik, Baltimore Sun, 30 July 2025
That win over Las Vegas gives Indiana the 2-1 edge in the season series, which is crucial in any potential tiebreaker scenarios at the end of the season.
—Chloe Peterson, IndyStar, 25 July 2025
While the tiebreaker procedures are spelled out for all to see on pages 83-84 of the 2022-26 Collective Bargaining Agreement, most of Tuesday night’s participants and observers alike seemed unaware of what was in store after Chapman recorded the final out of the ninth.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 16 July 2025
Boone’s reaction was in line with many of the All-Stars after the National League claimed a 7-6 victory at Atlanta’s Truist Park behind the first swing-off tiebreaker in the event’s 95-year history.
—Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 16 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for tiebreaker
Cite this Entry
“Tiebreaker.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tiebreaker. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
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