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
called 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.
Cite this Entry
“Tiebreaker.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tiebreaker. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.
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