デッドヒート
also: デッド・ヒート · デットヒート
Meanings
fiercely fought contest; close game; tight race
Describes a competition where opponents are extremely close, with no clear winner until the end. Used in sports, games, and business contexts.
The final match was a dead heat until the very end.
The battle for market share of the new product is turning into a fiercely fought contest.
dead heat; exact tie
Specifically refers to a result where two or more competitors finish at exactly the same time or with the same score, resulting in a tie. More literal than sense 1.
The 100-meter dash ended in a dead heat, and both were declared winners.
Usage patterns
- デッドヒートを繰り広げるto put on a fierce, close fight
The two runners put on a fierce, close race right to the end.
- 〈相手〉とデッドヒートを演じるto be locked in a tight race with an opponent
We're locked in a tight race with the team in first place.
- デッドヒートになるfor a match/race to turn into a dead heat / neck-and-neck contest
In the final stretch the gap closed and it turned into a dead heat.