edge out
Win by inches
To edge out is to defeat or surpass by a narrow margin: She edged out her opponent by just two votes.
The phrase suggests a close competition where one party barely prevails over another.
It can also mean to gradually displace or push aside: Digital photography has edged out film.
- pipFruit seed or dot
- surpassExceed in achievement
- photo finishRace decided by camera
- down to the wireUnresolved until the final moment
- overtakePass while moving faster
unseat · dislodge · supplant · scrape by · outmaneuver · oust · win by a nose · by a hair · outstrip · eclipse · best · slip by · just barely · trump · outpace · barely · narrowly · come from behind
- narrow marginsphoto finish, squeaker, cliff-hanger, razor thin, neck and neck
- push asidesupplant, displace, oust, replace, usurp
- close winsphoto finish, buzzer beater, squeaker, nail biter, close call
- takeovertakeover, take over, seize power, seizure, coup d'etat
- comparison verbscompare, contrast, differentiate, distinguish, juxtapose
- meddlingmeddle, meddler, butt in, horn in, intrude