# dead heat

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/dead-heat
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

a close race or contest in which no winner is apparent

## Examples

- The two runners finished in a dead heat.
- The election was so close that it ended in a dead heat, requiring a recount.
- After ten rounds of voting, the two candidates remained locked in a dead heat, leaving the committee paralyzed and the decision postponed indefinitely.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.