close race
Competition nearly tied
A close race is a competition where the outcome remains uncertain until the end, with participants nearly tied.
The phrase applies to elections, sports, and any contest decided by slim margins: The Senate seat came down to a close race that wasn't called until 3 a.m.
A close race heightens drama because small shifts can change everything.
- tightFirmly stretched or fitting
- photo finishRace decided by camera
- razor thinExtremely narrow margin
- sprintBrief maximum-speed effort
- frontrunnerLeading candidate or competitor
by a hair · down to the wire · margin · lead · trailing · pulling ahead · dead heat · contested · nail-biter · polling · swing · battleground state · upset · finish line · stride · surge · momentum · overtake
close racelandslide
Mass of earth falling
blowout · rout · landslide victory · decisive victory · crushing defeat
close raceforegone conclusion
Result assumed beforehand
no contest · cakewalk · coronation · shoo-in · sure thing
close, race, closed, closely, closeness, closer, closest, closing, closure