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close finish

[/kloʊs ˈfɪnɪʃ/]
nounpl: close finishes
final apertado
1. A competition or race outcome that is decided by a very small margin; a result where competitors finish with minimal difference in performance or score
The football match ended in a close finish with the home team winning by just one point.
A partida de futebol terminou com um final apertado, com o time da casa vencendo por apenas um ponto.
2. A narrow victory or near-tie situation where the outcome was uncertain until the very end
It was a close finish at the horse races; the two thoroughbreds crossed the line almost simultaneously.
Foi um final apertado nas corridas de cavalo; os dois cavalos pura-sangue cruzaram a linha quase simultaneamente.
NYC Slang
photo finish
Synonyms
narrow victorytight finishnarrow finishphoto finishnear thing
Antonyms
landslide victoryblowoutrunaway win

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
final apertado
most common usage in Brazilian Portuguese
São Paulo
final apertado / disputa cerrada
both terms widely used in sports commentary
Rio de Janeiro
final apertado
standard usage in sports broadcasting
Portugal
final renhido / final disputado
Portuguese uses 'renhido' or 'disputado' more frequently

Related Idioms & Phrases

by a nose
by a hair's breadth
down to the wire
a nail-biter
neck and neck finish
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