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
Sure, there will always be a division race that goes to the wire no matter how many weeks are played but Week 18 was anticlimactic.
—
Brad Biggs, Chicago Tribune, 6 Jan. 2025
The Dodgers finalized their deal just under the wire.
—Dan Freedman, Forbes, 4 Jan. 2025
The past two postseason meetings have gone down to the wire, with Michigan winning both.
—Austin Meek, The Athletic, 2 Jan. 2025
While this one came down to the wire, the Commanders were victorious with a 30-24 win over the Falcons to earn their spot in the postseason.
—Scott Thompson, Fox News, 30 Dec. 2024
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Brad Biggs, Chicago Tribune, 6 Jan. 2025
The Dodgers finalized their deal just under the wire.
—Dan Freedman, Forbes, 4 Jan. 2025
The past two postseason meetings have gone down to the wire, with Michigan winning both.
—Austin Meek, The Athletic, 2 Jan. 2025
While this one came down to the wire, the Commanders were victorious with a 30-24 win over the Falcons to earn their spot in the postseason.
—Scott Thompson, Fox News, 30 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for the wire
Dictionary Entries Near the wire
Cite this Entry
“The wire.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20wire. Accessed 15 Jan. 2025.
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