# shootout

/ˈʃutaʊt/ (US) · /ʃˈuːtaʊt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/shootout
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. sports tie-breaker

noun · CEFR B2

a way to decide the winner of a game that is tied, where players take turns trying to score goals.

For teachers: a tie-breaking procedure in sports, such as football or ice hockey, where a series of individual penalty shots determines the winner.

- The football match was so close that it had to be decided by a shootout.
- After a scoreless period of extra time, the championship was ultimately decided by a dramatic penalty shootout that lasted ten rounds.

### 2. a gunfight

noun · CEFR B2

a fight using guns between two groups of people, like the police and criminals.

For teachers: a decisive battle or confrontation involving an exchange of gunfire between opposing individuals or groups.

- The movie ended with a tense shootout between the hero and the villains.
- The historical account details a violent shootout at the border, which eventually led to a significant change in local law enforcement tactics.

### 3. high-scoring game

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal

a game where both teams score many points or goals.

For teachers: a match or competition characterized by high scoring from both participants, often implying a lack of defensive focus.

- The basketball game turned into a shootout, with both teams scoring over 120 points.
- What began as a tactical defensive struggle quickly devolved into an offensive shootout, much to the delight of the neutral spectators.

### 4. poker tournament style

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a type of poker game where you must be the last player at your table to move to the next round.

For teachers: a multi-table poker tournament format where players must win their individual table to progress to the subsequent stage.

- He won his first table in the shootout and moved on to the semi-finals.
- The shootout format requires a different strategic approach than standard tournaments, as players cannot simply wait for others to be eliminated at different tables.

## Examples

- The game ended in a dramatic penalty shootout.
- After the police cornered the suspects in the warehouse, a brief shootout occurred before the group finally surrendered.
- Despite dominating possession for ninety minutes, the underdog team could only secure a victory through a tense shootout that tested the nerves of every player on the pitch.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.