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
However many top-five faves cannot muster themselves up and out of sixth or seventh at the wire this afternoon will get shunted out of the Derby points game altogether.
—
Guy Martin, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025
Mizzou’s placing went down to the wire, all depending on the last individual routine.
—Henry Chappell, Kansas City Star, 7 Apr. 2025
When the pacemaker is no longer needed, surgeons must remove the wire from the heart, which can introduce complications such as bleeding, damage to the heart muscle and infection.
—Lisa Schencker, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2025
The lower the gauge number, the thicker the wire and thicker cords can carry more current.
—Cody Godwin, USA Today, 28 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the wire
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Guy Martin, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025
Mizzou’s placing went down to the wire, all depending on the last individual routine.
—Henry Chappell, Kansas City Star, 7 Apr. 2025
When the pacemaker is no longer needed, surgeons must remove the wire from the heart, which can introduce complications such as bleeding, damage to the heart muscle and infection.
—Lisa Schencker, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2025
The lower the gauge number, the thicker the wire and thicker cords can carry more current.
—Cody Godwin, USA Today, 28 Mar. 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 16 Apr. 2025.
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