dead heat

noun

Synonyms of dead heatnext
: a tie with no single winner of a race
broadly : tie

Examples of dead heat in a Sentence

the horses crossed the finish line in a dead heat
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Thirty-one years later, another dazzling young Maverick finds himself in a ROY race dead heat with two weeks left in the regular season. Brad Townsend, Dallas Morning News, 28 Mar. 2026 But the mayor’s race had ended in a dead heat Tuesday night, with six votes separating Thomson and candidate Mike Liebelson. Abigail Hasebroock, Sun Sentinel, 13 Mar. 2026 As recently as Wednesday, Warsh and Hassett were in a near dead heat. Jeff Cox, CNBC, 16 Jan. 2026 That puts it in a dead heat with even more highly funded rival OpenAI, in a race to the public markets. Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 3 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for dead heat

Word History

First Known Use

1796, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of dead heat was in 1796

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dead heat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dead%20heat. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.

Kids Definition

dead heat

noun
: a contest in which two or more competitors tie

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