: full of suspense
especially : unsettled until the very end

Examples of down-to-the-wire in a Sentence

a down-to-the-wire contest for the pennant
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
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 Skokie’s election season did not end on Election Day, and a district trustee declared victory in a down-to-the-wire finish almost two weeks after the polls closed. Richard Requena, Chicago Tribune, 22 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for down-to-the-wire

Word History

First Known Use

1930, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of down-to-the-wire was in 1930

Cite this Entry

“Down-to-the-wire.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/down-to-the-wire. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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