too close to call
Within the margin
Too close to call describes a competition or contest where the margin between opponents is so narrow that predicting a winner is impossible or irresponsible.
The phrase originated in election coverage, where news organizations refrain from "calling" a race—declaring a projected winner—until results are sufficiently clear.
With 95% of votes counted, the Senate race remains too close to call.
It now applies to any tight competition: sports matches, award predictions, or business rivalries.
Mutual blocking, no progress
- tieEqual score, or neckwear
- drawCreate with pencil
- stalemateMutual obstruction preventing progress
- dead heatTied competition result
photo finish · neck and neck · toss-up · parity · standoff · even · level · balanced
Suspensefully close competition
- edge-of-seatIntensely suspenseful experience
- cliffhangerSuspenseful unresolved ending
- tensionStretched or strained state
- anticipationState of awaiting something
drama · suspense · countdown · waiting game · breathless · white-knuckle · heart-pounding · down to the wire
Cannot be anticipated
- undecidedNot having chosen
- unsettledNot yet resolved
- questionableOf uncertain validity
- inconclusiveNot yielding a decision
up in the air · anyone's guess · unclear · iffy · swing · toss-up · leaning · wavering
deadlock
Mutual blocking, no progress
dead heat · photo finish · neck and neck · toss-up · parity · standoff · even · level · balanced · fifty-fifty
nail-biter
Suspensefully close competition
- edge-of-seatIntensely suspenseful experience
- cliffhangerSuspenseful unresolved ending
- tensionStretched or strained state
anticipation · drama · suspense · countdown · waiting game · breathless · white-knuckle · heart-pounding · down to the wire · final moments
unpredictable
Cannot be anticipated
- undecidedNot having chosen
- unsettledNot yet resolved
- questionableOf uncertain validity
inconclusive · up in the air · anyone's guess · unclear · iffy · swing · toss-up · leaning · wavering · on the fence
- finish line expressionsphoto finish, down to the wire, home stretch, final stretch, final lap
- 2000 ElectionFlorida recount, hanging chads, Bush v. Gore, Al Gore, George W. Bush
- election resultsvictory, defeat, winner, loser, win
- swing seatsswing districts
- electionsballot, ballots, voter registration, candidates, polls
- election mapselectoral college, electoral votes, red states, blue states, swing states