cut it close

idiom

variants or chiefly British cut it fine
: to almost not be able to do something : to almost fail, lose, etc.
They ended up winning the game, but they really cut it close at the end
It's cutting it a bit fine to get to the station at 9:45 when the train leaves at 9:50!

Examples of cut it close in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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If their recent win against Minnesota had ended at the 37-minute mark, when Maryland had a 20-point lead before allowing Minnesota a 20-6 run to cut it close, the Terps would’ve jumped quite a few spots in the NET. Mark Schindler, The Athletic, 17 Jan. 2025 There’s one big legal hurdle: The 12th Amendment → Biden makes history, but 2 other sitting presidents cut it close to Election Day → What does Kamala Harris’ record show? Michael Wilner, Sacramento Bee, 25 July 2024

Dictionary Entries Near cut it close

Cite this Entry

“Cut it close.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cut%20it%20close. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.

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