Synonyms of dead heat

dead heat

noun

as in tie

a situation in which neither participant in a contest, competition, or struggle comes out ahead of the other

the horses crossed the finish line in a dead heat

Synonyms & Similar Words

• tie
• draw
• standoff
• stalemate
• deadlock
• impasse
• horse race
• seesaw
• photo finish
• toss-up

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of dead heat

Polling suggests that the race is a dead heat, despite the fact that Kansas hasn’t sent a Democrat to the Senate in nearly a century. — Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 22 Oct. 2026

The race is a dead heat, according to the AJC poll, David Wickert reports. — Adam Beam, AJC.com, 20 Oct. 2026

The race has been a dead heat, with Democratic nominee Troy Jackson leading by just 2 points in a recent Suffolk University poll. — Eric Levitz, Vox, 15 Oct. 2026

Texas’ statewide elections are in dead heat in the lead up to early voting, according to a new poll from the Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas at Austin. — Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Oct. 2026