A synonym for playoff could be "postseason." This refers to the period of time after the regular season in sports where teams compete to see who will be the ultimate winner. Another synonym could be "tournament," which is a way of describing a series of games that determine a champion. Additionally, the phrase "playoff games" could be substituted with "elimination games," as the losing teams are eliminated from the competition. Another synonym for "playoff" could be "championship," which is the title that the winning team earns at the end of the postseason. Overall, there are many words and phrases that can be used interchangeably with "playoff," each with unique connotations.