a race against time
idiomatic phrase
variants
or a race against the clock
: a situation in which something must happen or be done quickly because little time is available
Divers pulling the 12 boys and their soccer coach from the cave were in a race against time, with the threat of rains making an already difficult rescue even more urgent.—
Richard C. Paddock and Muktita Suhartono
Richard C. Paddock and Muktita Suhartono… as everyone argued back and forth about whether to enter arbitration …, the issue of time came up. For some in the group, this was a race against the clock due to their illnesses and the need for medical treatment.—Steven Allen Bruce
Steven Allen BruceExamples of a race against time in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The film becomes a race against time as Lucy attempts to unmask the killer and and rewrite history in order to save her family.
—Travis Bean, Forbes, 30 Sep. 2024
Given that the time from infection to death usually takes about a week, Rose finds herself in a race against time to break the cycle.
—Janey Tracey, EW.com, 16 Oct. 2024
At Vanderbilt University, a historian is in a race against time to preserve crumbling, centuries-old logs and records, which offer proof of these unknown ancestors.
—Elizabeth Robinson, NBC News, 1 Oct. 2024
In a race against time, Ketchikan Police flew to Seattle to intercept the shipment before Joplin could take possession.
—Xander Samaras, ABC News, 20 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for a race against time 
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Travis Bean, Forbes, 30 Sep. 2024
Given that the time from infection to death usually takes about a week, Rose finds herself in a race against time to break the cycle.
—Janey Tracey, EW.com, 16 Oct. 2024
At Vanderbilt University, a historian is in a race against time to preserve crumbling, centuries-old logs and records, which offer proof of these unknown ancestors.
—Elizabeth Robinson, NBC News, 1 Oct. 2024
In a race against time, Ketchikan Police flew to Seattle to intercept the shipment before Joplin could take possession.
—Xander Samaras, ABC News, 20 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for a race against time
Dictionary Entries Near a race against time
Cite this Entry
“A race against time.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/a%20race%20against%20time. Accessed 14 Nov. 2024.
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