as in narrow
showing little difference in the standing of the competitors
a down-to-the-wire contest for the pennant
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of down-to-the-wire
Fresh off a historic state championship title, the Saint Mary's varsity football team is back in Stockton after a nail-biting down-to-the-wire win in Southern California against Bakersfield Christian.
—
Charlie Lapastora, CBS News, 16 Dec. 2025
Another week, another down-to-the-wire win for Denver.
—Joe Nguyen, Denver Post, 2 Dec. 2025
Some chains might have their lights off for the holiday, but others, like Dollar General, are staying open for down-to-the-wire purchases.
—Christopher Rudolph, PEOPLE, 27 Nov. 2025
Another super-small spread (-1 for the Jags) hints at down-to-the-wire showmanship.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for down-to-the-wire
Charlie Lapastora, CBS News, 16 Dec. 2025
Another week, another down-to-the-wire win for Denver.
—Joe Nguyen, Denver Post, 2 Dec. 2025
Some chains might have their lights off for the holiday, but others, like Dollar General, are staying open for down-to-the-wire purchases.
—Christopher Rudolph, PEOPLE, 27 Nov. 2025
Another super-small spread (-1 for the Jags) hints at down-to-the-wire showmanship.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for down-to-the-wire
Recent Examples of Synonyms for down-to-the-wire
Adjective
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Plus Yosh Nijman, Ekwonu’s backup and the Panthers’ swing tackle, suddenly retired earlier this month — flinging the Panthers’ offensive line plan into even narrower straits.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
27 Mar. 2026
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As deductions narrow and dependents age out, Roth withdrawals become one of the cleanest sources of tax-free income available for the 62-to-70 age group.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Many of the scouts in attendance on Tuesday — from about half the NFL teams — would have been keeping a close eye on left tackle Kage Casey.—
Darin Oswald,
Idaho Statesman,
25 Mar. 2026
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If balloons are around, close supervision is required.—
Nicole Villalpando,
Austin American Statesman,
24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Repeat customers who rushed to buy Labubus during periods of tight supply helped spike revenue growth in mainland China last year, according to HSBC.—
Elaine Yu,
CNBC,
25 Mar. 2026
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One key to success in campaigns is exercising tight control over your message.—
Barnini Chakraborty,
The Washington Examiner,
25 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Down-to-the-wire.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/down-to-the-wire. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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