photo finishes
Victories by millimeters
Photo finishes are race outcomes so close that a photograph is needed to determine the winner.
The term comes from horse racing, where a camera at the finish line captures the precise moment horses cross.
Extended to any extremely close competition or narrow decision: The election came down to a photo finish.
The singular form describes the situation; the plural often refers to multiple such instances.
- dead heatTied competition result
- too close to callUndecidable by current count
- close callDisaster narrowly averted
- neck and neckExactly even in competition
- tiesConnections or neckwear
by a nose · down to the wire · racecourse · horse racing · tiebreaker · competitions · thoroughbred · disqualifications · winning post · split-second · Kentucky Derby · Triple Crown · jockeys · horses · racing · race day · harness racing · tracks
- thrillsroller coasters, thrill, adrenaline, skydiving, bungee jump
- nail-biterscliffhangers, thrillers, buzzer beaters, down to the wire, sudden death
- Big GamesSuper Bowl, World Series, NBA Finals, World Cup Final, championship game
photo finishesblowouts
Decisive one-sided wins
landslides · runaways · walkovers · routs · mismatches
photo finishesforegone conclusions
Results assumed beforehand
walkovers · one-horse races · mismatches · coronations · formalities
photo, finish, photos, photograph, photography, photographic, photographer, photon, photosynthesis