the wire
noun
US
: a thin piece of string that the winner of a race breaks through at the end of the race
The marathon ended in a sprint to the wire by the two top runners.
—often used figurativelyThe election went/came (right) down to the wire.
Examples of the wire in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The Mariners were down to the wire against the Tigers.
—
Kilty Cleary, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Oct. 2025
Payton took notice, but didn’t think the wire was on the kick’s line because of Tottenham’s design.
—Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 10 Oct. 2025
Carve a shallow hole for the pillar candle, place the glass on the tip, then use U-pins to make holes to hold the wire.
—Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Oct. 2025
Miller and Panarin ineffective The Rangers entered opening night with their full ensemble, but the health of their two top forwards came down to the wire.
—Vincent Z. Mercogliano, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the wire
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Kilty Cleary, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Oct. 2025
Payton took notice, but didn’t think the wire was on the kick’s line because of Tottenham’s design.
—Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 10 Oct. 2025
Carve a shallow hole for the pillar candle, place the glass on the tip, then use U-pins to make holes to hold the wire.
—Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Oct. 2025
Miller and Panarin ineffective The Rangers entered opening night with their full ensemble, but the health of their two top forwards came down to the wire.
—Vincent Z. Mercogliano, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the wire
Cite this Entry
“The wire.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20wire. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.
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