down to the wire

Idioms  

1. To the last minute; to the very end. For example, We're just about down to the wire with this project. This term comes from horseracing, where it was long the practice to stretch a wire across and above the track at the finish line. It was extended to figurative use about 1900.

---

Example Sentences

It was a compelling contest which went down to the wire, with two state schools playing high-octane rugby in front of a passionate crowd of over a thousand people.

From BBC • Mar. 17, 2026

‘Sinners’ or ‘One Battle After Another’? With plenty of categories coming down to the wire, our awards columnist makes his final Oscar predictions.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 11, 2026

"So, I think it's between Forest, Palace and West Ham. It is going to be so tight. I really think its going to go down to the wire."

From BBC • Feb. 7, 2026

Paris and its allies seemed short of a blocking minority, but the vote could go down to the wire.

From Barron's • Jan. 9, 2026

We went over to my hootch, picked up our gear, and then moved through the night down to the wire.

From "The Things They Carried" by Tim O'Brien