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
In other prominent stakes Saturday at Gulfstream: ▪ Spirit of St. Louis charged late to win the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational, overtaking Integration nearing the wire to win the 1 1/8-mile turf stakes.
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Clark Spencer, Miami Herald, 26 Jan. 2025
Both the Patriot League Keenan and Fisher divisions appear set to come down the wire.
—Matt Feld, Boston Herald, 25 Jan. 2025
As radio technology became more prevalent, the cost of sending telegrams over the wire, compared with sending them over the air, grew large enough to prompt the creation of Radio Ripple Control, which is now used primarily today.
—Dan Goodin, Ars Technica, 23 Jan. 2025
The government hasn't passed a spending bill on time for a number of years, and once again officials are taking the vote down to the wire to pass thanks to input from Elon Musk and President-elect Donald Trump, who seek to influence the final bill.
—Gord Magill, Newsweek, 20 Dec. 2024
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Clark Spencer, Miami Herald, 26 Jan. 2025
Both the Patriot League Keenan and Fisher divisions appear set to come down the wire.
—Matt Feld, Boston Herald, 25 Jan. 2025
As radio technology became more prevalent, the cost of sending telegrams over the wire, compared with sending them over the air, grew large enough to prompt the creation of Radio Ripple Control, which is now used primarily today.
—Dan Goodin, Ars Technica, 23 Jan. 2025
The government hasn't passed a spending bill on time for a number of years, and once again officials are taking the vote down to the wire to pass thanks to input from Elon Musk and President-elect Donald Trump, who seek to influence the final bill.
—Gord Magill, Newsweek, 20 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 6 Feb. 2025.
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