English Reference
Idiom idiom

by an eyelash


By a very small amount or distance.

Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.


SIMPLE

“He won the race by an eyelash.”

CONTEXTUAL

“The team missed the championship title by an eyelash after the final goal was disallowed.”

COMPLEX

“Although the opposition campaigned tirelessly, the incumbent candidate retained his seat by an eyelash, narrowly avoiding a political upset.”


Last updated August 10, 2026