horse race

noun

Definition of horse racenext
1
as in ball game

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Dissimilar Words
2
as in photo finish

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for horse race
  1. ball game
  2. photo finish
  3. confrontation
  4. toss-up
  5. war
  6. duel
  7. combat
  8. contention
Noun
  • If Britney Spears can hire ghostwriters to help turn her partial memories into polished prose, why does asking ChatGPT to do the same thing feel like a whole other ball game?
    — Maxwell Adler, Vanity Fair, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Log temples atop the mounds overlooked wide plazas for ball games, ceremonies, and open-air markets.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of ball game
Noun
  • Briscoe held off Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Christopher Bell to win his second straight NASCAR playoff race in a photo finish on Sunday at Charlotte Motor Speedway, vaulting him into contention to earn his first Cup Series championship.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 11 Oct. 2026
  • But these data don't suggest a photo finish on the initiative come November so much as a rout.
    — Matt Calkins OutKick, FOXNews.com, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of photo finish
Noun
  • The cause of their displeasure has to do with scenes woven throughout that illustrate how Baldwin got his reputation for angry outbursts – confrontations with paparazzi through the years, for instance.
    — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Rodan-Benzaquen argued that intensifying political confrontation could help Mélenchon consolidate his support among younger voters and immigrant communities, while portraying the far right as an increasingly serious threat.
    — Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of confrontation
Noun
  • The Kalispell rally sought to boost GOP congressional candidate Aaron Flint, who is in a tight race for a toss-up House seat against Democrat Sam Forstag.
    — Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter rates the contest a toss-up, with neither candidate emerging as a clear favorite.
    — Luke Fountain, CNBC, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of toss-up
Noun
  • Montanans are suffocating due to an affordability crisis, rising fuel prices and an inexplicable war.
    — David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 13 Oct. 2026
  • On Monday, Zelenskyy said holding elections in Ukraine was impossible during war time, especially with new Russian tactics involving attacks day and night.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of war
Noun
  • The Brewers defended home turf in Game 1 of the NLCS, defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers 2–1 in a tight pitching duel.
    — Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 12 Oct. 2026
  • And in the second half, the game turned into a duel between standout QBs each making his sixth college start.
    — PJ Green September 27, Kansas City Star, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of duel
Noun
  • David Ayer’s thriller stars Brad Pitt as a Special Forces officer navigating the wilderness with his combat dog.
    — Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Ties between the two countries remain strained over their long-running Himalayan border dispute, which erupted into a deadly skirmishes in 2020 that saw soldiers from both sides use rocks and iron rods in brutal hand-to-hand combat.
    — Helen Regan, CNN Money, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of combat
Noun
  • But the bold irreverence that drew droves of devoted readers to Jezebel brought contention, too.
    — Meredith Maran, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The fourth team in World Series contention, the Tampa Bay Rays, stands just above the Guardians in payroll at 25th, with about $98 million on the books.
    — Isaac Tellechea, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of contention
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

horsepower
horse race
horse races
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Cite this Entry

“Horse race.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/horse%20race. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

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