hairsbreadth
/ˈhɛrzˌbrɛdθ/
NOUN
1. An extremely small distance or amount
A very short distance or a very small amount, approximately the width of a hair.
1.1. Tiny distances and narrow margins
An extremely small physical distance or narrow gap between two points, often emphasizing how narrowly something was missed or avoided.
Synonyms
- hairbreadth
- hairline
- inch
- fraction
- bit
- smidgen
- smidgeon
Antonyms
- country mile
- mile
- light-year
Examples
- The car narrowly avoided the collision by a mere hairsbreadth.
- She missed the train by a hairsbreadth, arriving just as it pulled away.
- The two competitors finished within a hairsbreadth of each other.
Related Words
- gap
- margin
- interval
- proximity
- narrowness
1.2. Minute amounts and quantities
An extremely small quantity, degree, or amount of something, often used to emphasize a negligible difference.
Synonyms
Antonyms
- lot
- infinity
Examples
- There wasn't a hairsbreadth of doubt in her mind about the decision.
- The measurement differed from the original by only a hairsbreadth.