Tournament/ˈtʊrnəmənt/ Definition 1 of 2Pro Tip 1/3Sports Usage Tournament often refers to organized sports events with several rounds. The basketball tournament featured teams from across the country. Pro Tip 2/3Not Always Sports While commonly sports-related, tournaments can also be for games, like a spelling bee. The school is hosting a math tournament next week. Pro Tip 3/3Multiple Rounds A tournament usually involves multiple matches, not just a single game. She advanced to the semifinals of the chess tournament.