daʊn tə ðə waɪər
Sports
neutral
intermediate
- Literally:
- a horse race so close that the finish is decided at the wire
What does "down to the wire" mean?
decided or completed at the very last moment
Examples
- The election went down to the wire, with results not confirmed until 3 a.m.
- We went down to the wire on that deadline but managed to submit on time.
- The championship series went down to the wire with a game-seven finish.
Origin
From horse racing, where a thin wire was stretched across the finish line.
How to use it
Used to describe tense situations decided at the very end.
Similar expressions
neck and neck
to the last minute
a photo finish
Opposites
a blowout
a runaway
decided early
Related idioms
- no pain no gain
Success requires hard work and sacrifice
- ball is in your court
It's your turn to take action or make a decision
- like riding a bicycle
A skill that, once learned, is never forgotten
- drop the ball
To fail to do something important; to make a mistake
- level playing field
A situation where everyone has an equal opportunity
- on the ball
Alert and competent
Use it in a practice answer
Try "down to the wire" in a CELPIP-style Speaking or Writing task. The AI feedback tells you whether your word choice worked.