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
Hellen Obiri, 2024 Boston Marathon winner, claimed that prize instead via tiebreaker.
—Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 21 July 2025
That includes Rosado’s tiebreaker vote in favor of postponing the upcoming November election to 2026 — a measure backed by the mayor — as well as Rosado’s vote to shutter the Bayfront Park Management Trust in January of next year.
—Tess Riski
july 21, Miami Herald, 21 July 2025
And the tiebreaker format was so successful that Boone suggested it could be implemented in regular season games as well.
—Peter Chawaga, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 July 2025
Rooker got the American League on the board with two home runs in his tiebreaker swings, but the National League ultimately won it, 4-3, thanks to Kyle Schwarber going 3-for-3.
—Michael McGough, Sacbee.com, 16 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for tiebreaker
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Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 21 July 2025
That includes Rosado’s tiebreaker vote in favor of postponing the upcoming November election to 2026 — a measure backed by the mayor — as well as Rosado’s vote to shutter the Bayfront Park Management Trust in January of next year.
—Tess Riski
july 21, Miami Herald, 21 July 2025
And the tiebreaker format was so successful that Boone suggested it could be implemented in regular season games as well.
—Peter Chawaga, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 July 2025
Rooker got the American League on the board with two home runs in his tiebreaker swings, but the National League ultimately won it, 4-3, thanks to Kyle Schwarber going 3-for-3.
—Michael McGough, Sacbee.com, 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 30 Jul. 2025.
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