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

Mike Smith had Cabo Spirit on the lead throughout the 1 1/8-mile run and still looked strong nearing the wire. — Bill Center, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 July 2026

Spritz the wire rack with nonstick cooking spray, then evenly space 1 pound of extra thick-cut bacon strips. — Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 July 2026

The quest for a fourth win will come down to the wire, as the Cardinals finish up against the Jets, Saints, Raiders and 49ers, who might be resting old players in the finale. — Vic Tafur, New York Times, 17 July 2026

Garden arches with plants intertwined around the wire are also shown, along with wooden pergolas. — Natalia Senanayake, PEOPLE, 17 July 2026

Rhymes for the wire

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