tiebreaker

/ˈtaɪbreɪkə(r)/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈtaɪbreɪkər/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈtī-ˌbrā-kər/ (ame, mw)

tiebreaker — noun

1. Extra playing time or a special deciding game added to a sports contest when the

1.名詞B2
釋義

Extra playing time or a special deciding game added to a sports contest when the score is equal after the regular match, so that one side can be declared the winner.

例句

The soccer match went into a tiebreaker because both teams were still drawing 2–2 after the full 90 minutes.

domain: sports (soccer)

In tennis, a tiebreaker is used to decide a set that reaches 6–6.

collocation: win/decide a tiebreaker

同義詞
  • decider

    More informal and general; can apply to any contest, not just sports.

  • extra time

    Specific to soccer and other timed sports; refers to the additional clock period, not the deciding mechanism itself.

  • overtime

    US English term for an extra period in basketball, hockey, and football.

用法筆記

Most common in racket sports (tennis, badminton) and timed team sports (soccer, basketball). The exact format — extra time, a deciding game, or a shootout — varies by sport.

常見錯誤

❌The match went into a tiebreaker because the score was 3–0.
✅The match went into a tiebreaker because the score was 2
💡2.' — A tiebreaker only happens when scores are level (tied), not when one side is winning.

2. A deciding item — such as a bonus question, an additional ballot, or a supplemen

2.名詞B2
釋義

A deciding item — such as a bonus question, an additional ballot, or a supplementary mark — that picks a champion from among contestants whose scores are equal.

例句

The quiz show host asked a tiebreaker question to decide which contestant would advance to the final round.

collocation: tiebreaker question

After the first vote ended in a draw, the chairperson cast a tiebreaker vote to choose the new committee leader.

collocation: cast a tiebreaker vote

同義詞
  • decider

    More informal; used in quizzes and contests to mean the final question or round.

  • runoff

    Specifically a second election or vote between the top candidates, not a single extra question or point.

用法筆記

Often appears in compound noun phrases such as tiebreaker question, tiebreaker vote, or tiebreaker round. The preposition for is common when specifying the prize or position being decided (e.g., a tiebreaker for third place).

常見錯誤

❌They used a tiebreaker to choose the winner' (without saying what kind).
✅The committee used a tiebreaker vote to choose the winner.
💡Specify the type (question, vote, point) unless the context is clear.