What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
tiebreaker
Example
The tennis match went into a tiebreaker to determine the winner. [tiebreaker: noun]
Example
In case of a tie, we will use the head-to-head record as the first tiebreaker. [tiebreaker: modifier]
playoff
Example
The team made it to the playoffs after finishing the regular season with a strong record. [playoffs: noun]
Example
The two teams will face each other in a playoff series to determine who advances to the next round. [playoff: modifier]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Playoff is more commonly used than tiebreaker in sports, as it is used to determine the ultimate champion of a competition. Tiebreaker is less common and only used in specific situations where two teams or players have the same score at the end of a game or match.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between tiebreaker and playoff?
Both tiebreaker and playoff are commonly used in sports language and are appropriate for both formal and informal contexts.
