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
Copenhagen said the wire appears to have been an old steel telephone line, roughly a quarter-inch wide, hung between two trees about 35 feet high.
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Outside, 10 Feb. 2026
While Los Angeles mayor is the marquee race and has already generated plenty of drama, with surprises coming down to the wire of last Saturday’s filing deadline, many other seats will also be contested in the June 2 primary.
—Roger Vincent, Los Angeles Times, 8 Feb. 2026
Fast-forward to this winter and another move went down to the wire for George.
—Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 5 Feb. 2026
The band is wide and stretchy for a smooth fit that doesn’t dig into your skin, and the wire-free design still gives you just enough shaping and lift.
—Jeaneen Russell, PEOPLE, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for the wire
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Outside, 10 Feb. 2026
While Los Angeles mayor is the marquee race and has already generated plenty of drama, with surprises coming down to the wire of last Saturday’s filing deadline, many other seats will also be contested in the June 2 primary.
—Roger Vincent, Los Angeles Times, 8 Feb. 2026
Fast-forward to this winter and another move went down to the wire for George.
—Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 5 Feb. 2026
The band is wide and stretchy for a smooth fit that doesn’t dig into your skin, and the wire-free design still gives you just enough shaping and lift.
—Jeaneen Russell, PEOPLE, 4 Feb. 2026
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 15 Feb. 2026.
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