photo finish

noun

1
: a race or finish in which contestants are so close that a photograph of them as they cross the finish line has to be examined to determine the winner
2
: a close contest

Examples of photo finish in a Sentence

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.
Their photo finish was punctuated with wide smiles. Jay Stahl, USA Today, 25 Oct. 2025 The whole exchange took no more than a few minutes, from flush to photo finish. Christine Peterson, Outdoor Life, 23 Oct. 2025 Tanzania’s Alphonce Felix Simbu won the men’s marathon Monday at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, using a stirring final kick to chase down and stun Germany’s Amanal Petros in a photo finish. Zack Pierce, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025 Sometimes, awards voting can be a photo finish. Daniel R. Epstein, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for photo finish

Word History

First Known Use

1935, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of photo finish was in 1935

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Cite this Entry

“Photo finish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/photo%20finish. Accessed 26 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

photo finish

noun
1
: a finish of a race in which contestants are so close that a photograph of them crossing the finish line has to be examined to decide the winner
2
: a close contest (as in an election)

More from Merriam-Webster on photo finish

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