too close to call

Idioms and Phrases

Resulting in too narrow a margin to make a decision, as in That ball didn't miss by much but it was too close to call , or The election was too close to call, so they decided to have a runoff . This expression comes from sports, where call has signified “a judgment” since the mid-1600s. In the 1960s it began to be applied to pre-election polls and then to the outcome of elections.

Example Sentences

Republicans flipped a seat in Pennsylvania and the remaining contests — in Alaska and Ohio — remain too close to call.

From Los Angeles Times

That night, Rollins did not concede, writing in a statement that mailed and conditional ballots were still being counted and that the race was “too close to call.”

From Los Angeles Times

Well, according to the email, “there are U.S. Senate and House races that are either too close to call, or within the margin of recounts or certain legal challenges.”

From Slate

Some Trump allies, including billionaire Elon Musk, have argued it is too risky to lose Stefanik's seat as Republicans and Democrats battle for control of the House, which remains too close to call.

From BBC

The 2024 result is still too close to call - a testament to just how split residents are.

From BBC