a heartbeat away
idiomPart ofheartbeat
a heartbeat away — idiom
1. extremely close to happening, becoming, or experiencing something, especially so
1.idiom
Definition
extremely close to happening, becoming, or experiencing something, especially something significant or dangerous
Example
With the election results so close, Caleb was only a heartbeat away from losing his seat on the council.
In the intensive care unit, the patient was a heartbeat away from needing emergency surgery.