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

Rogers is locked in a dead heat with Democrat Abdul El-Sayed. — Luke Fountain, CNBC, 14 Oct. 2026

Polls in this race have not been in agreement, with some showing Moody well in the lead and others showing Nixon coming close to a dead heat. — Manuel Bojorquez, CBS News, 6 Oct. 2026

For the first time in the history of photo finishes a triple dead heat for first place is recorded, at Willow’s Park, Victoria, British Columbia. — Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 21 Sep. 2026

Even so, poll results point to a statistical dead heat between Flávio Bolsonaro and Lula. — Filipe Mendonça, The Conversation, 17 Sep. 2026