neck and neck
/ˌnek ən ˈnek/NEUTRAL · C2
Meaning
exactly level in a competition
Examples
- 1With a day to go, the two candidates for class president are neck and neck.
- 2Mia and her brother were neck and neck in the spelling contest until the very last word.
- 3Both bakeries have sold exactly three hundred pies, so they're neck and neck with an hour left.
- 4Who's winning the charity quiz? Last I heard, the two tables were neck and neck.
- 5In the latest survey, cycling and walking are neck and neck as the most popular way to get to work.
Grammar
Usually after be, run or finish, about two people or groups. Both nouns stay singular.
More idioms about sports
All 20 idioms and the topic quiz →a game changersomething that transforms how things are doneout of your leaguenot good or skilled enough compared with otherssaved by the bellrescued from an awkward moment just before it gets worseacross the boardaffecting everyone or everything, with no exceptionshome and drysure of success after the difficult part is overpull your punchesto criticise less strongly than you could
English Idioms400 idioms in 20 topics — with reviews that keep them from fading
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