dead heats

noun

plural of dead heat
as in ties
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

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for dead heats
  1. ties
  2. draws
Noun
  • Every single judge in Centre County recused themselves ahead of Sandusky’s original trial because of ties to the university, The Second Mile charity, or Sandusky himself.
    — Andy Rose, CNN Money, 7 Sep. 2026
  • The two countries’ ties have grown stronger since the start of the war in Ukraine in 2022 with Pyongyang sending thousands of troops to Russia’s Kursk region to help repel a 2024 Ukrainian incursion there.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of ties
Noun
  • San Jose was coming off back-to-back draws before winning for the first time since beating the Portland Timbers 3-1 on the road on May 23.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Matt Freese finished with four saves for NYCFC, which was coming off three straight draws.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of draws
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

dead heat
dead heats
deadlock
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Cite this Entry

“Dead heats.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dead%20heats. Accessed 14 Sep. 2026.

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