A Buzzer Beater Is a Shot That Barely Counts
A buzzer signals the end of time or an incorrect answer. Sport uses it for the most dramatic moment available.
A buzzer is a device that makes a harsh signalling sound. Basketball built a whole phrase around it: a *buzzer beater* is a shot released before the buzzer sounds and counted even though it lands afterwards. The rule turns the sound into a hard boundary, and the drama comes from beating it by fractions of a second.
- A signalling device. *Press the buzzer.*
- An entry system. *Ring the buzzer.*
- Buzzer beater — a last-moment score. *A buzzer beater to win.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | buzzer | A loud buzzer. |
| Plural | buzzers | Contestant buzzers. |
| Verb | buzz | Buzz me in. |
| Noun | buzz | A faint buzz. |
| Related | siren | An air raid siren. |
How it is used in a sentence
- He hit a buzzer beater.Basketball.
- Buzz me in.Door entry.
- First on the buzzer answers.Quiz format.
Buzzer contexts
- Quiz shows — the first to buzz gets to answer
- Basketball — marks the end of a period
- Door entry — announces a visitor
- Game shows — signals a wrong answer
- Buzzer beater — a shot released just before time expires
From *buzz*, an imitative word first recorded in the sixteenth century. The device sense dates from the late nineteenth century and electrical signalling.
Does a buzzer beater count?
Yes, provided the ball leaves the shooter's hand before the buzzer sounds. Officials review the footage in close cases.
Why is the sound called a buzz?
The word imitates the noise. English has many such words, including hiss, hum and click.