hair's breadth

By a tiny margin. Literally, the breadth (width) of a hair.

Often written as hare's breath, which really makes no sense. Does anyone have any idea what the breath of a bunny is like? Is it a soft puff, a short inhalation?

"She beat her closest opponent over the finish line by a hair's breadth."

"He was a hair's breadth away from graduating when disaster struck."

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