the wire
noun
US
: a thin piece of string that the winner of a race breaks through at the end of the race
The marathon ended in a sprint to the wire by the two top runners.
—often used figurativelyThe election went/came (right) down to the wire.
Examples of the wire in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The semifinal and final matches against Serbia and France came down to the wire.
—
Jordy Fee-Platt, New York Times, 21 Dec. 2025
Place a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet, placing the tenderloin on the wire rack.
—Susan Selasky, Freep.com, 19 Dec. 2025
The Bears’ bowl status came down to the wire, as there weren’t enough eligible teams in the 2025 season.
—Maddie Hartley, Kansas City Star, 17 Dec. 2025
The Panthers can’t give up possessions or failed plays in games that are likely to come down to the wire.
—Charlotte Observer, 16 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the wire
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Jordy Fee-Platt, New York Times, 21 Dec. 2025
Place a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet, placing the tenderloin on the wire rack.
—Susan Selasky, Freep.com, 19 Dec. 2025
The Bears’ bowl status came down to the wire, as there weren’t enough eligible teams in the 2025 season.
—Maddie Hartley, Kansas City Star, 17 Dec. 2025
The Panthers can’t give up possessions or failed plays in games that are likely to come down to the wire.
—Charlotte Observer, 16 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the wire
Cite this Entry
“The wire.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20wire. Accessed 28 Dec. 2025.
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