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horse race

noun

Definition of horse racenext
1
as in ball game

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Dissimilar Words
2
as in photo finish

Related Words

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
  • The 29-year-old Lyles won gold in the 100 at Paris in a photo finish, narrowly edging out Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson and becoming the first American man to win the Olympic sprint since Justin Gatlin in 2004.
    — Zack Pierce, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
  • This time the 11-10 favorite found himself on the wrong side of a five-horse photo finish.
    — Jay Posner, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of photo finish
Noun
  • The final confrontation unfolded in darkness early Monday, when deputies exchanged gunfire with Spencer for more than two hours before he was killed, according to the Placer County Sheriff’s Office.
    — Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 21 Sep. 2026
  • The confrontation began Friday after a suicide bomber rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into a mosque, and gunmen stormed the facility, killing 21 people and wounding 103 others.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of confrontation
Noun
  • The Cook Political Report, a leading forecaster, rates each one a toss-up.
    — Christopher Buchanan, Los Angeles Times, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Various polls show the contest is a toss-up, while the nation keeps its attention on this race.
    — Carol Cain, CBS News, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of toss-up
Noun
  • The countries trying to broker an end to the Iran conflict — Oman, Pakistan, and Qatar — are themselves facing military attacks and economic strain from the war, an unusual dynamic that factors into the incentives and urgency behind their mediation.
    — Lauren Morganbesser, semafor.com, 22 Sep. 2026
  • But Washington's negotiations with Tehran over their own war fell apart weeks ago.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of war
Noun
  • The fans in Auburn, Alabama, came out, leaning from ramps and peeking from tents to catch a glimpse of their new administrations, each in their first SEC duel of the year.
    — Noah White, Miami Herald, 20 Sep. 2026
  • Mahomes and Travis Kelce this season are set to appear in at least 10 national windows, including the inevitable duel with Allen and the Bills on Thanksgiving night.
    — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of duel
Noun
  • During the Vietnam War, disproportionate numbers of Black and Latino service members served in combat and were killed while under the command of a largely white officer corps.
    — Jeremiah Favara, The Conversation, 18 Sep. 2026
  • The survival thriller, directed by David Ayer, follows a Special Forces officer and his combat dog who, after a devastating plane crash, get stranded deep in the Alaskan wilderness.
    — Angelique Jackson, Variety, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of combat
Noun
  • The Reds and Marlins have long been eliminated from playoff contention and will be playing for nothing more than pride this week.
    — Chad Bishop, AJC.com, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Chicago was eliminated from playoff contention, but Jaquez has been a bright spot for the team all season.
    — Connor Dullinger, Los Angeles Times, 21 Sep. 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 24 Sep. 2026.

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