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
That’s a team that took Baltimore to the wire last week.
—
Josh Kendall, New York Times, 1 Dec. 2025
Lounging on the cushions is bliss, as the wire spring mechanism keeps them from sagging and the layered foam and cotton-blend ticking keeps feathers in place.
—Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 1 Dec. 2025
The grooved side of the wire rack can hold cans of energy drinks, beer, soda, and seltzer; flip it over to the flat side to store bottles of wine.
—Mark Marino, Bon Appetit Magazine, 28 Nov. 2025
Clark declined to comment on whether the company has any concerns that its BVLOS eligibility will be impacted by the collisions in Tolleson and the wire-cutting issue in Waco.
—Meghan Hall, Sourcing Journal, 26 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the wire
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Josh Kendall, New York Times, 1 Dec. 2025
Lounging on the cushions is bliss, as the wire spring mechanism keeps them from sagging and the layered foam and cotton-blend ticking keeps feathers in place.
—Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 1 Dec. 2025
The grooved side of the wire rack can hold cans of energy drinks, beer, soda, and seltzer; flip it over to the flat side to store bottles of wine.
—Mark Marino, Bon Appetit Magazine, 28 Nov. 2025
Clark declined to comment on whether the company has any concerns that its BVLOS eligibility will be impacted by the collisions in Tolleson and the wire-cutting issue in Waco.
—Meghan Hall, Sourcing Journal, 26 Nov. 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 7 Dec. 2025.
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