neck and neck

Idioms  

1. So close that the advantage or lead shifts from one to the other or is virtually indistinguishable, as in The two are neck and neck in developing a new operating system for the computer. The term comes from horse racing, where the necks of two horses in competition appear to be side by side. [Early 1800s] For a synonym, see nip and tuck.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

neck and neck

Raman is neck and neck with Bass, with Pratt close on their heels, according to the most recent poll from the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies, which was co-sponsored by The Times.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 1, 2026

In Berlin, it is neck and neck with the SPD and the Greens ahead of a state election in September.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 11, 2026

Paxton’s style ran neck and neck with Cornyn’s substance.

From Salon ● Mar. 4, 2026

Going into the final round, the Japanese and the Americans had been neck and neck, but Japan were ahead having won more routines.

From Barron's ● Feb. 8, 2026

We're both narrowly escaping collisions and are neck and neck in our race to catch up with the white van full of money.

From "The Sky at Our Feet" by Nadia Hashimi