close/tight finish

noun

: an end of a race or contest in which the winner is ahead by a very small amount

The race had a close/tight finish.

Examples of close/tight finish in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The Tempo clawed back again and cut the Sparks’ lead to 74-63 going into the fourth, setting the stage for the tight finish. — John Davis, Daily News, 16 May 2026

Cleveland still has a lot of pressure to win Game 4 at home, and Detroit is still the clear favorite to advance, but facing a close finish in a must-win situation, Harden delivered. — Dan Santaromita, New York Times, 11 May 2026

Trabuco Hills quickly made sure a close finish wouldn’t take place. — Michael Huntley, Oc Register, 13 Feb. 2026

New Orleans responded soon after with an 15-4 run, during which Murphy scored nine points and assisted on Karlo Matkovic's dunk, setting up the tight finish. — CBS News, 15 Jan. 2026