dead heat

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   A result in which two or more competitors finish exactly equal, so no single winner is decided.

   Grammar: Countable: use 'a dead heat' or 'dead heats'. It often follows 'in' or 'end in'.

   Patterns

   • end in a dead heat
   • finish in a dead heat
   • be in a dead heat with someone

   The two horses crossed the line together, and the race was declared a dead heat.

   The election ended in a dead heat, so the winner had to be decided by a coin toss.

   After the final lap, the swimmers were in a dead heat for first place.

2. 2nounsingularfigurative

   A situation in which two sides are exactly equal and neither is ahead.

   Grammar: Usually singular and often used with 'in': the two teams are in a dead heat.

   Patterns

   • in a dead heat
   • a dead heat between two people

   With only days left before the vote, the two candidates are in a dead heat.

   The race for the championship is a dead heat between the top two teams.

Word forms

Common combinations

end in a dead heat

The marathon ended in a dead heat after both runners crossed the line together.

finish in a dead heat

The two boats finished in a dead heat, so both crews received gold medals.

be in a dead heat

The polls show the two parties are in a dead heat.

declare a dead heat

The judges declared a dead heat and shared the prize.

Synonyms and how they differ

tie

Tie is the general word for an equal result; a dead heat is more specific and is used especially in racing and elections.

draw

Draw is common in team sports like football; a dead heat is more often used for races or votes.

Commonly confused: dead heat or dead heat?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “dead heat”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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