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.
By then the Gallup poll had us in a dead heat. — Chris Matthews, New York Daily News, 11 June 2026 If two horses hit the wire at the exact same time it’s called a dead heat. — Neil Greenberg, New York Times, 1 May 2026 Forecasts rate Ohio's Senate race as a toss-up, and most surveys have it a dead heat. — Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 6 May 2026 The result marks a significant shift from a late-January survey showing the two candidates locked in a dead heat. — Jesus Mesa, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 May 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 8 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

dead heat

noun
: a contest in which two or more competitors tie

More from Merriam-Webster on dead heat

Nglish: Translation of dead heat for Spanish Speakers

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