playoff
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
a game played to decide which team will move up to a higher league.
a match or series of matches played between teams at the end of a season to determine which will be promoted to a higher division.
Simple“The team won the playoff final at Wembley to reach the Premier League.”
In context“After finishing third in the table, the club had to navigate a tense two-legged playoff to secure their spot in the top flight.”
Usagefrequently used in the singular when referring to a specific match or final.
Teacher's tipCommonly associated with English football (soccer) league structures.
Synonymspromotion deciderAntonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
an extra game played to decide a winner when two teams have the same score.
an additional contest played to resolve a deadlocked competition or a tie in standings.
Simple“The two golfers had to play a three-hole playoff to decide the tournament winner.”
In context“Since both players finished eighteen holes with identical scores, the tournament rules mandated a sudden-death playoff starting on the first tee.”
Synonymstie breakerdecider - 03 C2 Proficiency
a short piece of music played while the actors move between scenes in a play.
a brief musical passage played during a scene change or at the exit of a character, often based on a previous song.
Simple“The orchestra played a lively playoff as the dancers left the stage.”
In context“The composer used a brassy playoff to maintain the energy of the production while the stagehands executed a complex set change in total darkness.”
Synonymsexit musicunderscore
Usage playoff final
“Meanwhile, goalkeeper Dean Henderson became the first Palace player to feature for England in a World Cup finals match in the third place playoff against France.”
“The team did not make the NFL playoffs last year for the first time in 10 seasons.”
Deverbal from play off; by surface analysis, play + -off.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.