a race against time
idiomatic phrase
variants
or a race against the clock
: a situation in which something must happen or be done quickly because little time is available
Divers pulling the 12 boys and their soccer coach from the cave were in a race against time, with the threat of rains making an already difficult rescue even more urgent.—
Richard C. Paddock and Muktita Suhartono
Richard C. Paddock and Muktita Suhartono… as everyone argued back and forth about whether to enter arbitration …, the issue of time came up. For some in the group, this was a race against the clock due to their illnesses and the need for medical treatment.—Steven Allen Bruce
Steven Allen BruceExamples of a race against time in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The film will see New York City in a race against time to stop a killer rat infestation unlike anything the world has ever seen.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 1 May 2025
Despite the risks, Enola launches her own investigation in a race against time to uncover the truth and locate Watson.
—Ross Rosenfeld, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Apr. 2025
There’s even more drama to come though, because James’ race is a race against time.
—David G.w. Birch, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2025
Donald Trump's victory in the 2024 election set in motion a race against time by President Biden to safeguard his environmental legacy in his remaining days as president.
—Paulina Smolinski, CBS News, 20 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for a race against time
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Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 1 May 2025
Despite the risks, Enola launches her own investigation in a race against time to uncover the truth and locate Watson.
—Ross Rosenfeld, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Apr. 2025
There’s even more drama to come though, because James’ race is a race against time.
—David G.w. Birch, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2025
Donald Trump's victory in the 2024 election set in motion a race against time by President Biden to safeguard his environmental legacy in his remaining days as president.
—Paulina Smolinski, CBS News, 20 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for a race against time
Cite this Entry
“A race against time.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/a%20race%20against%20time. Accessed 5 May. 2025.
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