Synonyms

photo finish

American

noun

Sports.

a finish of a race in which two or more contestants are so close to the finish line that reference to a photograph of the finish is necessary to determine the winner.

photo finish British

noun

a finish of a race in which contestants are so close that a photograph is needed to decide the result
any race or competition in which the winners or placed contestants are separated by a very small margin

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

photo-finish

adjective

Etymology

Origin of photo finish

First recorded in 1935–40

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

When it comes to picking the best S&P 500 index fund, the results are bound to be a photo finish.

From Barron's • Apr. 1, 2026

So it likely comes down to these two, and the stakes are chillingly high for such a photo finish.

From Slate • Mar. 23, 2026

The nine-year-old, ridden by jockey Charlie Deutsch, crossed the line alongside Cian Collins' horse, resulting in the first photo finish of the Festival.

From BBC • Mar. 11, 2026

Their passer ratings were a photo finish: Stafford at 127.6 and Darnold at 127.8.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 26, 2026

Both Charley Bloom and Joe Mondragon probably would have reached Harlan in a photo finish, if Joe hadn’t stumbled halfway there and gone flying.

From "The Milagro Beanfield War" by John Nichols

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023