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 figuratively

The election went/came (right) down to the wire.

Examples of the wire in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Can’t Sleep lost by a nose at the wire to Amorita in the July 25 Daisycutter. — Bill Center, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Aug. 2026

For some clubs that were running close to the wire under PSR, the shift will ease regulatory worries, as operating costs are now excluded. — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026

If convicted on the wire fraud charge, DePena faces up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. — ABC News, 14 Aug. 2026

And if authorities investigate the wire fraud allegations for Freedom 250, the Department of Justice, and possibly the FBI, may get involved in the investigation. — Sarah Webber, The Conversation, 6 Aug. 2026

Rhymes for the wire

• briar
• brier
• buyer
• choir
• crier
• cryer
• drier
• dryer
• eyer
• flier
• flyer
• friar