Miss the boat

[1158] Neck and neck

🎲 Off the top of my head
English Idioms
All Idioms

Explanation

  • Exactly level or extremely close in a race, competition, election, or comparison.

Origin

  • This idiom comes directly from horse racing.
  • When two or more horses are running side-by-side with neither clearly ahead, especially near the finish line, their necks appear to be aligned.
  • Being neck and neck means they are so close that it's difficult or impossible to tell who is winning at that moment.
  • The term has been broadly adopted for any close contest.

Synonyms & Related Expressions

  • Level pegging (Especially UK)
  • Side by side
  • Even / Tied / Dead even
  • Too close to call
  • Down to the wire (Refers specifically to the very end of a close contest)
  • A photo finish (Refers to a race result so close it needs photographic evidence)
  • A dead heat (An exact tie in a race)

Alternatives

Slang/Informal:

  • It's a toss-up (Implies outcome is uncertain due to closeness)
  • Dead heat (Specifically means an exact tie in a race)
  • Even stevens / Even Stephen (Casual term for being exactly equal)

Vulgar/Emphatic:

  • Too fucking close to call (Emphasizes the extreme closeness)

Milder:

  • Very close
  • Evenly matched
  • Running level
  • Tied

Situational Appropriateness

  • Appropriate for most contexts, including informal, semi-formal, and formal.
  • Very common in sports commentary, political reporting, and business comparisons.

Misunderstanding Warnings

  • Generally well-understood due to its strong association with racing and competition. Unlikely to be misinterpreted.

Examples

  • The two runners were neck and neck as they approached the finish line.
  • The latest polls show the leading candidates are neck and neck.
  • Our company and our main rival are neck and neck in market share this year.

Dialogue

Reporter 1: What's the latest on the election results?

Reporter 2: It's incredibly tight in the key states. The candidates are virtually neck and neck.

Reporter 1: So it's still too close to declare a winner?

Reporter 2: Absolutely. It could be hours, maybe even days, before we know for sure. It's neck and neck.

Social Media Examples

  • Tweet: Final lap! Verstappen and Leclerc are neck and neck going into the last corner! Unbelievable! #F1 #Racing
  • News Update: Polls tighten: Smith and Jones now neck and neck in governor race. #Election2024
  • Facebook post: My fantasy league championship is neck and neck! It all comes down to tonight's game. Stress level 100! #FantasyFootball

Response Patterns

  • Expressions of excitement/tension: Wow, it's really close! / This is intense!
  • Agreement/Observation: Yes, it's neck and neck. / It's too close to call.
  • Prediction/Question: Who do you think will pull ahead? / It could go either way.

Common Follow-up Questions/Actions

After hearing two competitors are neck and neck:

  • Who do you think has the edge?
  • What are the latest results/updates?
  • Expressing excitement: This is going down to the wire!
  • Discussing the factors making the contest so close.

Conversation Starter

  • No. Used to describe the state of an ongoing or recent competition or comparison.

Intonation

  • Usually even stress on both instances of neck. NECK and NECK.
  • The tone is often descriptive, conveying excitement, tension, or close competition.

Generation Differences

  • Widely understood and used across all generations.

Regional Variations

  • Common in all major English-speaking regions.
  • Level pegging is a common alternative primarily used in the UK and Commonwealth countries.
Miss the boat
🎲 Off the top of my head