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
Incredibolt surged through an opening mid-stretch and bounded clear of the field, finishing strong through the wire.
—
ABC News, 14 Mar. 2026
Like the first two matchups in the regular season, the third battle came down to the wire.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Mar. 2026
Usually, when the Best Picture race goes down to the wire, the two main contenders are a study in contrasts.
—Nate Jones, Vulture, 12 Mar. 2026
With plenty of categories coming down to the wire, our awards columnist Glenn Whipp makes his final Oscar predictions.
—Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for the wire
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ABC News, 14 Mar. 2026
Like the first two matchups in the regular season, the third battle came down to the wire.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Mar. 2026
Usually, when the Best Picture race goes down to the wire, the two main contenders are a study in contrasts.
—Nate Jones, Vulture, 12 Mar. 2026
With plenty of categories coming down to the wire, our awards columnist Glenn Whipp makes his final Oscar predictions.
—Los Angeles Times, 11 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 16 Mar. 2026.
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