hairbreadth 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of hairbreadthnext
as in narrow
showing little difference in the standing of the competitors a hairbreadth victory, but a victory nevertheless

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hairbreadth

2 of 2

noun

ˈher-ˌbretth How to pronounce hairbreadth (audio)
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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of hairbreadth
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 The year closed with the hairbreadth victory of a law-and-order Presidential nominee whose Southern strategy of racial politicking remade the electoral map. — Jelani Cobb, The New Yorker, 9 Jan. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hairbreadth
  1. narrow
  2. inch
  3. close
  4. step
Adjective
  • Burner accounts from China and Russia And those partnership ads are channeled through a narrow group of creators, ORL says.
    — Jim Edwards, Fortune, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Just like their simulated counterparts, the worms consistently moved through the narrower channels faster than the wider ones.
    — K. R. Prathyusha, The Conversation, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of narrow
Noun
  • Each 27x14x15-inch bag has a 24-gallon capacity, can accommodate up to 100 pounds, and can be used for longer-term storage, too.
    — Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Aug. 2026
  • That is technically true but completely beside the point, the public health equivalent of noting that the tide has only crept up a few inches while standing in a basement that is starting to flood.
    — A.J. Russo, Baltimore Sun, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of inch
Adjective
  • California Cruise is even closer than expected, with deliveries slated to begin next year.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 30 Aug. 2026
  • The success of this trial was possible through the close and constructive cooperation between the participating German Air Force organisations, the exercise management team and the expert teams from Rheinmetall Air Defence and Hensoldt.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of close
Noun
  • This week, just steps from the garden, Musée Yves Saint Laurent Marrakech (mYSLm), a 43,000-square-foot museum designed by the architectural firm Studio KO, opens its doors to the public.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Aug. 2026
  • The crucial step was making the two charge sheets nearly equal.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of step

Phrases Containing hairbreadth

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hair
hairbreadth
hairbreadth escape
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Cite this Entry

“Hairbreadth.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hairbreadth. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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