too close to call

Idioms  

1. Resulting in too narrow a margin to make a decision, as in That ball didn't miss by much but it was too close to call, or The election was too close to call, so they decided to have a runoff. This expression comes from sports, where call has signified “a judgment” since the mid-1600s. In the 1960s it began to be applied to pre-election polls and then to the outcome of elections.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

too close to call

Two polls released this week showed each side holding a narrow lead, making the coming referendum too close to call.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026

It is a referendum that polls suggest is too close to call.

From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026

The vote proved too close to call on Tuesday evening, but by Wednesday morning, El-Sayed had claimed the win, and Stevens had phoned him to concede.

From Slate ● Aug. 5, 2026

With about 18 million ballots counted, Sanchez was ahead by just 20,000 votes and the race was still much too close to call.

From Barron's ● Jun. 9, 2026

Approaching election day, Thompson and Sweitzer were running even, the race too close to call.

From "A Few Red Drops: The Chicago Race Riot of 1919" by Claire Hartfield