as in narrow
showing little difference in the standing of the competitors
a hairbreadth victory, but a victory nevertheless
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
variants
or hairsbreadth
as in inch
a very small distance or degree
just missed the bull's-eye by a hairbreadth
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hairbreadth
Andrew Cockburn,
Harper’s Magazine ,
20 July 2022
That mad quest for immortality is only one thread in an intricate narrative that encompasses witchcraft, impossible transformations, hairbreadth escapes, killer clowns and an assortment of innovative murders.
—
Washington Post,
28 Nov. 2021
Nancy Pelosi will have a hairbreadth four-vote majority in the House with two seats still undecided.
—
Walter Shapiro,
The New Republic,
17 Dec. 2020
The hairbreadth outcome in the race belied its sweeping consequences.
—
Author: Alexander Burns and Jonathan Martin,
Anchorage Daily News,
14 Mar. 2018
Joe Rao,
Space.com,
7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
In the end, Cuellar and his corporate backers carried the day (one marked also by the Uvalde school massacre), albeit by a hairbreadth margin.
—
Andrew Cockburn,
Harper’s Magazine ,
20 July 2022
That mad quest for immortality is only one thread in an intricate narrative that encompasses witchcraft, impossible transformations, hairbreadth escapes, killer clowns and an assortment of innovative murders.
—
Washington Post,
28 Nov. 2021
Nancy Pelosi will have a hairbreadth four-vote majority in the House with two seats still undecided.
—
Walter Shapiro,
The New Republic,
17 Dec. 2020
The hairbreadth outcome in the race belied its sweeping consequences.
—
Author: Alexander Burns and Jonathan Martin,
Anchorage Daily News,
14 Mar. 2018
Noun
Such was not completely unexpected, for Comet MAPS was a Kreutz sungrazer, a type of comet that comes literally within a hairbreadth of the sun.
—
Joe Rao,
Space.com,
7 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hairbreadth
Adjective
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Many of Haaland’s bags are actually Haut à Courroies (HAC), the model that the Birkin is based off, but with a slightly taller and narrower profile.
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But with 10,000 baby boomers reportedly retiring every day and millions of businesses approaching a transition point, the window to get it right is narrow.
Noun
-
In May, just weeks before the ruling, the athlete won the West Virginia Class AAA girls’ shot put state championship with a throw of 38 feet, 11¾ inches, beating the runner-up by just over two feet.
-
One flight attendant was able to fit enough clothes for a seven-day trip in the Hanke 14-inch Underseat Carry-on, proving its status as a tiny-but-mighty travel bag made to last for years.
Adjective
-
With the wrap in front of you, fold up the edge closest to you.
-
Because wells in the region are large and close to one another, restarting production will require significant coordination across companies and countries to ensure consistent pressure across multiple wells.
Noun
-
The hotel stands just steps from the historic French Quarter, undoubtedly one of the first stops on any traveler’s itinerary.
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But the increasing tanker traffic is an encouraging step toward normalization of global oil flows.
Cite this Entry
“Hairbreadth.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hairbreadth. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.
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