dead heat

American  

noun

1. a race in which two or more competitors finish in a tie.

2. the result of such a race; tie.

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dead heat British  

noun

1. 1. a race or contest in which two or more participants tie for first place

   2. a tie between two or more contestants in any position

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dead heat Idioms  

1. A contest in which the competitors are equally matched and neither can win; a tie. For example, The two companies are in a dead heat to get a new personal computer on the market. This term comes from 18th-century British horse racing and is still part of racing terminology. It later was transferred to other kinds of competition.

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Etymology

Origin of dead heat

First recorded in 1790–1800

Example Sentences

The most recent survey put the CDU and the Greens in a dead heat on 28 percent.

From Barron's • Mar. 8, 2026

Polymarket, the prediction platform, shows Paramount and Netflix are in a dead heat to close a transaction by the end of June 2027, with around a 42% chance each.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 10, 2025

The Anora star is up against Demi Moore for The Substance in a category seen as a dead heat.

From BBC • Feb. 26, 2025

Nationwide, more than 78 million people nationwide have voted early, with many standing in line for hours to cast their ballots in a presidential race that, polls have shown, is a dead heat.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 5, 2024

Ten minutes later Seabiscuit finished in a dead heat for first with a horse named Heelfly, who carried fifteen fewer pounds.

From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand