How to Use playoff in a Sentence

playoff

noun
Definition of playoffnext
Synonyms for playoffnext
  • In 2019, the Aces went to the playoffs and made the semifinals.
    — Louisa Thomas, The New Yorker, 15 Oct. 2023
  • The playoff berth this season was the team’s first under the coach.
    — Nathan Canilao, The Mercury News, 15 Feb. 2024
  • The Ducks never got to the gate, missing the playoffs for the fifth straight season.
    — Helene Elliott, Los Angeles Times, 13 June 2023
  • The Mavs have clinched a post in the playoffs and have five games left to improve their seeding.
    — Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Apr. 2024
  • To reach the playoffs, a team needs to show an ability to win close games late.
    — Evan Grant, Dallas News, 30 Aug. 2023
  • Though neither team made it to the final dance, their triumphs over the Reign were the best part of the playoffs.
    — Ash Parrish, The Verge, 3 Oct. 2023
  • The team won its last three games to qualify for the playoffs, then beat Hawaii on Nov. 27 to reach the World Bowl.
    — Creg Stephenson | Cstephenson@al.com, al, 26 July 2023
  • The Hornets finished 9-2 that season with an overtime loss to Prattville in the first round of the playoffs.
    — Ben Thomas | Bthomas@al.com, al, 19 Sep. 2023
  • The Phillies went on to win the game against the New York Mets 5-2, bringing the team one step closer to clinching a wild card berth in the playoffs.
    — Anna Lazarus Caplan, Peoplemag, 26 Sep. 2023
  • This is the final season the playoff includes four teams.
    — Antonio Planas, NBC News, 13 Dec. 2023
  • The Hurricanes have made the playoffs in each of the past five seasons and are again a contender to win the Stanley Cup.
    — Stephen Whyno, BostonGlobe.com, 26 July 2023
  • The Chargers have enough talent that, at this time next year, Harbaugh could have them deep in the playoffs.
    — Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times, 25 Jan. 2024
  • Six teams make the NWSL playoffs, and the top two get byes into the playoff semifinals.
    — oregonlive, 19 Aug. 2023
  • The Texas high school boys soccer playoff season is here.
    — Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Mar. 2024
  • The Orioles sniffed a bit of success last year having been in the playoff hunt until the final days.
    — Sam Cohn, Baltimore Sun, 17 Sep. 2023
  • The singer was present at most of the Chiefs’ games this season and their playoff run, as well as at last weekend’s Super Bowl.
    — Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 16 Feb. 2024
  • Add those wrinkles to the list of reasons the Chiefs have been successful through two games of this year’s playoffs.
    — Jesse Newell, Kansas City Star, 25 Jan. 2024
  • The Kings’ win comes one year after a heartbreaking loss in Game 7 of a first-round playoff series.
    — Mathew Miranda, Sacramento Bee, 17 Apr. 2024
  • Dalton, who tallied a team-high 14 RBIs through the playoffs, went 2-for-3 with two singles.
    — Sam Cohn, Baltimore Sun, 12 July 2023
  • And that rarely tells the whole story — or an accurate one — about whether a team will contend for a playoff spot.
    — Austin Knoblauch, Los Angeles Times, 12 Sep. 2023
  • Thanks giving is over, but playoff season is fast on its way.
    — Bychris Morris, Fortune, 26 Nov. 2023
  • If the Heat exits meekly from the playoffs and decides to break up this cast, Herro will shoot to the top of the list of players who could be dealt.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 29 Feb. 2024
  • But if the Texans win their last two contests, they'll be poised to secure their first playoff berth since the 2019 season.
    — Josh Criswell, Chron, 24 Dec. 2023
  • Stafford still is working on helping the Rams qualify for the NFC playoffs.
    — Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times, 14 Dec. 2023
  • Marchessault's goal was his 13th in his last 13 playoff games, his fourth of this series and his third with the man advantage.
    — Tim Reynolds, ajc, 9 June 2023
  • So, why are the Wild in all probability not going to make the playoffs?
    — John Shipley, Twin Cities, 3 Feb. 2024
  • That is a far cry from the Angels, who never made the playoffs or even had a winning record during Ohtani’s six seasons with the team.
    — Ken Belson, New York Times, 11 Dec. 2023
  • Their overthinking and trying to be too cute in the 2021 [playoffs] and last year’s debacle against San Diego in the playoffs are all the proof one needs.
    — Los Angeles Times, 19 Aug. 2023
  • But after winning for the sixth time in seven games, the biggest unknown involved the Rams’ playoff fate.
    — Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times, 1 Jan. 2024
  • While the Fever missed the playoffs for the seventh straight season, the franchise is showing signs of life for the first time since Tamika Catchings retired in 2016.
    — Chloe Peterson, The Indianapolis Star, 11 Sep. 2023

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'playoff.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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