a narrow win

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a narrow win" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a victory that is achieved by a small margin, often in competitive contexts such as sports or elections. Example: "The team secured a narrow win in the final minutes of the game, leaving their fans on the edge of their seats."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

This advantage allowed them to escape with a narrow win.

The New York Times - Sports

That also happened … so we knew what to do and got a narrow win".

The Guardian - Sport

The likely result was – had to be – a narrow win for remain.

The Guardian

After an embarrassing defeat to Ireland, they squeaked a narrow win against the West Indies to reach the quarter-finals.

The Economist

ICM for The Guardian gave Mr Miliband a narrow win over Mr Cameron (by 25 to 24 per cent).

Independent

The leaders, Plymouth, extended their own unbeaten run to 10 league games after a narrow win at Stevenage.

The Guardian - Sport

Did your opponent hack your nation's electoral system to eke out a narrow win?

TechCrunch

Albion Rovers continued their fine start to the season with a narrow win over Queen's Park.

BBC

Jamie Chandler headed home for Gateshead to secure a narrow win over fellow promotion hopefuls Barnet.

BBC

Motherwell leapt from fifth to second in the Premiership with a narrow win over Aberdeen.

BBC

Fleetwood gained an important three points with a narrow win over promotion rivals Rochdale.

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a narrow win", consider whether the context benefits from highlighting the closeness of the victory or the effort involved. Choose synonyms like "hard-fought victory" or "last-gasp win" for additional emphasis.

Common error

Avoid repeating "a narrow win" too frequently within close proximity. Vary your language by using alternative phrases like "a close victory" or "a slim win" to maintain reader engagement and avoid monotony.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a narrow win" functions as a noun phrase, where the adjective "narrow" modifies the noun "win". Ludwig AI shows it is commonly used to describe the nature of a victory.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "a narrow win" is a common and grammatically sound way to describe a victory achieved by a small margin. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's widely used across various news and media sources, indicating its relevance in reporting close contests, especially in sports and elections. While the phrase itself is neutral, considering synonyms like "a hard-fought victory" or "a last-gasp win" can add additional nuance depending on the intended emphasis. When writing, avoid overuse of "a narrow win" in close proximity to maintain reader interest. Using alternatives will enrich your writing and prevent it from becoming repetitive.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a close victory

Emphasizes the small margin separating the winner and loser.

a slim victory

Highlights the minimal difference in score or achievement.

a hard-fought victory

Focuses on the effort and struggle involved in achieving the win.

an edge-of-the-seat win

Highlights the suspense and excitement associated with the close competition.

a squeaked-out win

Implies the victory was achieved just barely, often unexpectedly.

a marginal victory

Underscores that the victory was won by a narrow margin.

a hairline victory

Emphasizes how close the victory was to not happening.

a hard-earned win

Suggests significant effort and perseverance were required to secure the victory.

a wafer-thin win

Emphasizes the extreme closeness and almost fragility of the victory.

a last-gasp win

Highlights that the victory was secured in the very final moments.

FAQs

How can I use "a narrow win" in a sentence?

You can use "a narrow win" to describe a victory achieved by a small margin, such as "The team secured "a narrow win" in the final seconds of the game."

What are some alternatives to saying "a narrow win"?

Alternatives include "a close victory", "a slim win", or "a hard-fought victory" depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey.

Is it correct to say "a narrowly win"?

No, "narrowly" is an adverb and would modify a verb. The correct phrase is "a narrow win", where "narrow" is an adjective describing the noun "win".

What's the difference between "a narrow win" and "a decisive victory"?

"A narrow win" indicates a close game or competition where the margin of victory was small. "A decisive victory", on the other hand, implies a clear and significant advantage for the winner.