photo finish

noun

1
: a race or finish in which contestants are so close that a photograph of them as they cross the finish line has to be examined to determine the winner
2
: a close contest

Examples of photo finish in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Thoroughbred racing’s Triple Crown season began as wonderfully as imaginable Saturday at Churchill Downs in the 150th running of the Kentucky Derby, with 18-1 longshot Mystik Dan winning a three-way photo finish. Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 5 May 2024 In an extraordinary photo finish, Mystik Dan emerged victorious at the 150th running of the Kentucky Derby Saturday evening at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. CBS News, 4 May 2024 This year marked the 150th running of the race at Churchill Downs, won this year by Mystik Dan in a photo finish. The Styles Desk David Kasnic, New York Times, 4 May 2024 Saturday’s Xfinity Series race ended in a wild photo finish. Shane Connuck, Charlotte Observer, 15 Apr. 2024 But as the tallies were counted, official results reflected a photo finish — in part because of the extraordinary inroads made by the far right. Catarina Fernandes Martins, Washington Post, 11 Mar. 2024 What followed was a nit-picking, photo finish of a taste test. Sam Stone, Bon Appétit, 3 Nov. 2023 Sea Tales ranked first in a photo finish of a taste test, but what cemented its position in first place was the company’s holistic commitment to sustainability. Sam Stone, Bon Appétit, 8 Jan. 2024 Plus, the heartwarming story of a photo finish for a mother’s marathon run. CNN, 24 Sep. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'photo finish.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1935, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of photo finish was in 1935

Dictionary Entries Near photo finish

Cite this Entry

“Photo finish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/photo%20finish. Accessed 16 May. 2024.

Kids Definition

photo finish

noun
1
: a finish of a race in which contestants are so close that a photograph of them crossing the finish line has to be examined to decide the winner
2
: a close contest (as in an election)

More from Merriam-Webster on photo finish

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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