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
There is, therefore, a strong likelihood that some of Marsch’s final decisions on the roster will come down to the wire and will be entirely dependent on various players’ health.
—
Joshua Kloke, New York Times, 25 May 2026
While the runners rolled around the far turn and headed for the wire, the big-running Renegade weaved through the crowd and muscled his way towards the front.
—Danny Brewer, Forbes.com, 25 May 2026
California is quietly relaying the wire.
—Jeffery Marino, Mercury News, 23 May 2026
The ball comes in two halves that clamp around the wire and bolt together tightly.
—Rui Bo, The Conversation, 18 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for the wire
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Joshua Kloke, New York Times, 25 May 2026
While the runners rolled around the far turn and headed for the wire, the big-running Renegade weaved through the crowd and muscled his way towards the front.
—Danny Brewer, Forbes.com, 25 May 2026
California is quietly relaying the wire.
—Jeffery Marino, Mercury News, 23 May 2026
The ball comes in two halves that clamp around the wire and bolt together tightly.
—Rui Bo, The Conversation, 18 May 2026
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 1 Jun. 2026.
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