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
Long shot Wayne’s Law led early, only to be overtaken in the final turn by 6-5 favorite Nearly, who was passed in mid-stretch by The Puma, who narrowly succumbed to Commandment at the wire.
—
Clark Spencer, Miami Herald, 29 Mar. 2026
The game went down to the wire.
—Greg Riddle, Dallas Morning News, 27 Mar. 2026
Transfer to the wire rack and let stand 10-15 minutes.
—Georgeanne Brennan, Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2026
But the parties reached a deal without going down to the wire or triggering a work stoppage.
—Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2026
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Clark Spencer, Miami Herald, 29 Mar. 2026
The game went down to the wire.
—Greg Riddle, Dallas Morning News, 27 Mar. 2026
Transfer to the wire rack and let stand 10-15 minutes.
—Georgeanne Brennan, Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2026
But the parties reached a deal without going down to the wire or triggering a work stoppage.
—Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 25 Mar. 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 Apr. 2026.
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