hairbreadth

adjective

Synonyms of hairbreadthnext
: very narrow : close
a hairbreadth escape

Examples of hairbreadth in a Sentence

a hairbreadth victory, but a victory nevertheless
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.
In the end, Cuellar and his corporate backers carried the day (one marked also by the Uvalde school massacre), albeit by a hairbreadth margin. Andrew Cockburn, Harper’s Magazine , 20 July 2022 That mad quest for immortality is only one thread in an intricate narrative that encompasses witchcraft, impossible transformations, hairbreadth escapes, killer clowns and an assortment of innovative murders. Washington Post, 28 Nov. 2021 Nancy Pelosi will have a hairbreadth four-vote majority in the House with two seats still undecided. Walter Shapiro, The New Republic, 17 Dec. 2020 The hairbreadth outcome in the race belied its sweeping consequences. Author: Alexander Burns and Jonathan Martin, Anchorage Daily News, 14 Mar. 2018

Word History

First Known Use

1604, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hairbreadth was in 1604

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hairbreadth.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hairbreadth. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

hairbreadth

noun
hair·​breadth
ˈha(ə)r-ˌbretth
ˈhe(ə)r-
-ˌbredth
variants or hairsbreadth
ˈha(ə)rz-
ˈhe(ə)rz-
: a very small distance or margin
hairbreadth adjective
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