as in narrow
showing little difference in the standing of the competitors
a down-to-the-wire contest for the pennant
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Recent Examples of down-to-the-wire
That also meant there was a flurry of activity in Sacramento last week, with legislators giving the down-to-the-wire OK for bills pertaining to housing, worker safety, public transit projects and more.
—
Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 9 June 2025
In a down-to-the-wire race among the six iconic Wienermobiles that serve as goodwill ambassadors for Oscar Mayer, the hot dog-on-wheels representing the Southeast proved to be the big dog on Carb Day ahead of Sunday’s running of the Indianapolis 500.
—Dave Skretta, Chicago Tribune, 23 May 2025
But the film also has plenty of down-to-the-wire tension, as when Benji (Simon Pegg) directs a bomb defusion through the fog of his collapsing lung.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 14 May 2025
Curry, Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler won Game 4 through down-to-the-wire intensity and an inspired final stop.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for down-to-the-wire
Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 9 June 2025
In a down-to-the-wire race among the six iconic Wienermobiles that serve as goodwill ambassadors for Oscar Mayer, the hot dog-on-wheels representing the Southeast proved to be the big dog on Carb Day ahead of Sunday’s running of the Indianapolis 500.
—Dave Skretta, Chicago Tribune, 23 May 2025
But the film also has plenty of down-to-the-wire tension, as when Benji (Simon Pegg) directs a bomb defusion through the fog of his collapsing lung.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 14 May 2025
Curry, Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler won Game 4 through down-to-the-wire intensity and an inspired final stop.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for down-to-the-wire
Recent Examples of Synonyms for down-to-the-wire
Adjective
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But those plans can be quite narrow and ineffective for addressing flood damage.—
Tamia Fowlkes,
jsonline.com,
6 Oct. 2025
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Wide, shallow pans allow alcohol to evaporate more quickly than deep, narrow ones.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
5 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Bishnoi denies involvement in Moosewala’s murder, but in an explosive interview from behind bars, accused his close aide of orchestrating it.—
Rhea Mogul,
CNN Money,
7 Oct. 2025
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The departure of Busquets and Alba means Messi will lose two of his most talented teammates and closest friends.—
Michelle Kaufman,
Miami Herald,
7 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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So Rizza skipped the presentation format of the past in favor of a tight selection of one-on-one appointments, mostly with retailers.—
Sandra Salibian,
Footwear News,
3 Oct. 2025
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And results have largely been mixed since Carson Wentz has taken over as the starter, winning a 48-10 blowout over the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 3 and then losing a tight game in Ireland against the Pittsburgh Steelers.—
Reice Shipley,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Down-to-the-wire.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/down-to-the-wire. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.
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