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

Polling ahead of Maine’s June 9 primary indicated that the race is too close to call.

From Salon ● Jun. 5, 2026

It’s possible we’ll know a front-runner, but it will be too close to call second place.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 2, 2026

One incumbent survived and another race remained too close to call.

From Barron's ● May 6, 2026

Upson feels this EFL Cup final falls into the "too close to call" category - but believes one factor makes him just favour Arsenal.

From BBC ● Mar. 22, 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