What does playoff mean?
A playoff is a game or series of games used to settle a sports contest that remains undecided, usually after the regular season. Most commonly, the term refers to a championship series between leading teams, such as baseball’s league championship or an ice-hockey playoff; it can also describe a single extra game forced by a tie in the standings. The word is especially associated with North American team sports, though it is also standard in British reporting for play-offs. A related but broader word, postseason, denotes all competition following the regular season and need not end in one tied final. In everyday speech, playoff can sound energetic and high-stakes because it promises a clear result after prolonged competition. Its usefulness lies in distinguishing a specifically decisive contest from the larger postseason, while the plural playoffs is the familiar form for an entire series or tournament. The term also applies metaphorically to a final contest for a title, place, or other coveted outcome.
nounA playoff is a game or series of games played to decide a championship or settle a tie in the standings, usually after regular-season competition. The term can also refer to the decisive series as a whole.
- A game or series of games played after regular-season competition to decide a champion, settle a tie in the standings, or determine qualification for another stage.
"A rain-delayed playoff went into extra innings before the home team clinched the series."
"A tie in the standings forced the clubs into a playoff."
"The playoff between the two title contenders lasted five games."
The plural is the usual form when referring collectively to a postseason competition or championship series.
"The teams reached the playoffs and finished in second place."
Born in late-19th-century sports writing, the “play-off” began as the extra game for a tie; today the word can name an entire championship series.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does playoff come from?
The word playoff is a 19th-century English compound of play and off. It developed in sports language for an extra game played when competitors had finished level, and its meaning expanded to include a series deciding a championship or qualification. The play element belongs to a word family that also includes replay, display, and playback.
Related word forms
How playoff is actually used
The word is especially associated with North American team sports but is also standard in British reporting. British usage commonly hyphenates it as “play-off,” while American usage often writes “playoff,” especially in the plural “playoffs.”
Easily confused with playoff
A playoff is a specific contest or series played to determine a champion or resolve a tie, whereas the postseason is the broader period of competition following the regular season.