the wire
noun
US
: a thin piece of string that the winner of a race breaks through at the end of the race
The marathon ended in a sprint to the wire by the two top runners.
—often used figurativelyThe election went/came (right) down to the wire.
Examples of the wire in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The teams last faced each other during the 2023-24 season and Miami won 86-80 in a game that went down to the wire.
—
Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 15 Dec. 2025
One day, the wire-haired dachshund mix was home in Antelope.
—Cathie Anderson, Sacbee.com, 14 Dec. 2025
One of the reports from Workplace Health and Safety Queensland expert Stuart Davies claimed that torque that held the wire in place was as little as one-seventh as tight as federal standards required on the day the incident happened, per The Guardian.
—Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 11 Dec. 2025
Nearly half of Dave Canales’ 30 games as Panthers head coach have come down to the wire.
—Mike Kaye
december 10, Charlotte Observer, 10 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the wire
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Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 15 Dec. 2025
One day, the wire-haired dachshund mix was home in Antelope.
—Cathie Anderson, Sacbee.com, 14 Dec. 2025
One of the reports from Workplace Health and Safety Queensland expert Stuart Davies claimed that torque that held the wire in place was as little as one-seventh as tight as federal standards required on the day the incident happened, per The Guardian.
—Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 11 Dec. 2025
Nearly half of Dave Canales’ 30 games as Panthers head coach have come down to the wire.
—Mike Kaye
december 10, Charlotte Observer, 10 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the wire
Cite this Entry
“The wire.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20wire. Accessed 19 Dec. 2025.
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