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
Lengthening his stride under jockey Umberto Rispoli, this Man looked quite Formidable with the wire drawing ever closer.
—
Danny Brewer, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025
The clip reveals the kitten scaling the side of the wire cage like a rock-climbing wall, pulling herself up and over the top with ease.
—Maria Morava, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Aug. 2025
They can’t be sniffed over the wire.
—Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 28 Aug. 2025
An X-ray showed that the wire from her spinal fusion had broken and pierced her brain stem.
—Wendy Grossman Kantor, People.com, 27 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the wire
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Danny Brewer, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025
The clip reveals the kitten scaling the side of the wire cage like a rock-climbing wall, pulling herself up and over the top with ease.
—Maria Morava, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Aug. 2025
They can’t be sniffed over the wire.
—Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 28 Aug. 2025
An X-ray showed that the wire from her spinal fusion had broken and pierced her brain stem.
—Wendy Grossman Kantor, People.com, 27 Aug. 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 5 Sep. 2025.
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