photofinish

A horse race ends in a photofinish.

Definition

Noun: - A close finish of a race: "photofinish" refers to a situation in a race (especially horse racing or track events) where the outcome is so close that the winner cannot be determined by the naked eye and must be decided by examining a photograph taken at the finish line. - By extension: The term can also refer to any extremely close or contested outcome in a competitive situation.

Usage Examples

• (A race so close that a photograph was needed to determine the winner.)
• (The finish required photographic analysis to decide the winner.)
• (A very close outcome in a non-racing context.)

Advanced Usage

• "to be decided by a photofinish": to require photographic evidence to determine the winner.

  • The marathon was so tight that it was decided by a photofinish. (The winner was only known after examining the finish-line photo.)

• "a photofinish result": a result that is extremely close and contested.

  • The company's annual sales race ended in a photofinish result between the two top-performing teams. (A very close competition.)

Variants and Related Words

• Photo finish (n, alternative spelling): a common variant of "photofinish."

  • The photo finish showed that the runner in lane 3 won by a fraction of a second. (The photographic evidence confirmed the winner.)

• Photofinish camera (n): a specialized camera used to capture the exact moment a racer crosses the finish line.

  • The photofinish camera is triggered by the starting gun and records the finish line continuously. (A device used for precise race results.)

Synonyms

• Close finish: a finish where competitors are very near each other.
• Narrow victory: a win achieved by a small margin.
• Dead heat: a tie or extremely close result in a race (though a dead heat may require a photofinish to confirm).

Related Idioms

• Too close to call: a situation where the outcome is uncertain because the margin is very small.

  • The race was too close to call without a photofinish. (The result was ambiguous.)

• By a hair's breadth: by an extremely narrow margin.

  • She won the race by a hair's breadth, as confirmed by the photofinish. (By the smallest possible difference.)