neck and neck

Definition of neck and necknext
as in narrow
showing little difference in the standing of the competitors a neck and neck finish in which only a fraction of a second separated the winner from the runner-up

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for neck and neck
Adjective
  • Louisville and Boise State don’t move much after narrow losses to top-10 teams.
    Chris Vannini, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • The extremely short, picometer-scale wavelength of nuclear-decay neutrinos makes the possible collective emission cone extraordinarily narrow.
    Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 6 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • On closer-range shots, Brughmans often adopts a wide base with his chest slightly forward and his arms relatively low.
    Matt Pyzdrowski, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026
  • In the ninth inning, Ozzie Albies legged out a double off Phillies closer Jhoan Duran (2-5) and Riley followed with a triple off the centerfield fence, giving the Braves the lead.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 7 Sep. 2026
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Cite this Entry

“Neck and neck.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/neck%20and%20neck. Accessed 18 Sep. 2026.

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