To clinch a playoff berth means a team has guaranteed itself a spot in the postseason, no matter what happens in the remaining regular-season games.
Meaning of “clinch”
In sports standings, “clinch” means a team has secured a position that cannot be lost through any remaining possible results. Even if that team loses all its remaining games, the math still works out so they keep whatever they clinched, such as a playoff spot or division title.
Meaning of “playoff berth”
A “playoff berth” is simply a place or slot in the league’s playoffs. So a “clinched playoff berth” means the team is officially in the playoffs and cannot be knocked out by other teams’ results.
Related phrases
Common related phrases include “clinched division title,” meaning the team has guaranteed finishing first in its division, and “clinched first-round bye,” meaning it has secured a top seed that skips the first playoff round. All of these use “clinched” in the same way: the spot is locked in and cannot be lost by any remaining outcomes.
