Down to the Wire.
English
idiom
At the last moment or just before a deadline.
Trusted by1.5M+English learners & teachers worldwide
At the last moment or just before a deadline.
Trusted by1.5M+English learners & teachers worldwide
To reach a conclusion or finish something at the very last possible moment.
When a situation goes down to the wire, the outcome or deadline comes with almost no time to spare.
It's used for competitions, negotiations, or deadlines where the result stays uncertain until the very end.
"Under the Gun"
—
Feeling stressed due to pressure or a tight deadline
"At the Eleventh Hour"
—
Something done at the very last moment, often as a last-minute rescue
"Down to the Wire"
—
A situation that stays tense and uncertain right until the final moment
Is the report ready — the meeting starts in half an hour.
We're going down to the wire — give me 20 more minutes.
Did you finish wrapping the gift before the party started?
Barely — it went down to the wire but I got it done.
How did your flight go — did you make it on time?
Down to the wire — I made it to the gate with two minutes left.
