race against time
Beat the clock
A race against time is an urgent effort to accomplish something before a deadline or before conditions worsen.
The phrase frames time itself as the opponent: Rescue workers were in a race against time to reach survivors.
Often describes situations where delay means failure or catastrophe.
- last-minuteJust before deadline
- eleventh hourLatest possible time
- deadlineTime limit for completion
- countdownBackward enumeration to zero
- ticking clockClock making sound
beat the clock · beat the deadline · urgency · close call · nail biter · buzzer-beater · pressure cooker · zero hour · do or die · life-or-death · last ditch effort · fleeting moments · make-or-break · photo finish · hurry · expiration · scramble · chase
- time pressurerush, against the clock, rushed, clock is ticking, urgency
- time sayingscarpe diem, seize the day, better late than never, tempus fugit, haste makes waste
- Down to the Wirelast minute, nail-biter, photo finish, close call, eleventh hour
- racing termsbackstretch, checkered flag, daily double, dead heat, exacta
- Speed Expressionsin a flash, quick as a flash, lickety-split, lickety split, like lightning
- speedspeed, quickness, rate, velocity, pace
race against timetake one's time
Act without haste
no rush · unhurried · slow and steady · amble · easy does it
race against timetaking it easy
Deliberately slowing down
going through the motions · coasting · dawdling · meandering · puttering
race against timeahead of schedule
Before the planned time
time to burn · breathing room · slack time · buffer time · leisure time
time, race, times, racing, timer, races, timely, timed, raced