dead heat

noun

Synonyms of dead heatnext
: a tie with no single winner of a race
broadly : tie

Synonyms of dead heat

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Examples of dead heat in a Sentence

the horses crossed the finish line in a dead heat
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Polls show Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition in a dead heat with his chief rival, the centrist Gadi Eisenkot. — Daniel Brook, New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2026 Polling suggests that the race is a dead heat, despite the fact that Kansas hasn’t sent a Democrat to the Senate in nearly a century. — Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 22 Oct. 2026 The race is a dead heat, according to the AJC poll, David Wickert reports. — Adam Beam, AJC.com, 20 Oct. 2026 The race has been a dead heat, with Democratic nominee Troy Jackson leading by just 2 points in a recent Suffolk University poll. — Eric Levitz, Vox, 15 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dead heat

Word History

First Known Use

1796, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of dead heat was in 1796

Rhymes for dead heat

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Browse Nearby Words

deadheart
dead heat
dead hole
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Cite this Entry

“Dead heat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dead%20heat. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

dead heat

noun
: a contest in which two or more competitors tie
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