often attributive
1
: an ornamental border consisting of short straight or twisted threads or strips hanging from cut or raveled edges or from a separate band
a lampshade with a fringe
2
b
chiefly British
: bang entry 4
wears her hair in a fringe
c
: one of various light or dark bands produced by the interference or diffraction of light
d
: an area bordering a putting green on a golf course with grass trimmed longer than on the green itself
3
a
: something that is marginal, additional, or secondary to some activity, process, or subject
a fringe sport
b
: a group with marginal or extremist views
the politically conservative fringe
c
fringed; fringing
ˈfrin-jiŋ 
Synonyms
Examples of fringe in a Sentence
Noun
a lampshade with a fringe
a fringe of moss around the tree
a party on the political fringe
Verb
A jungle fringed the shore.
the orchestral pit fringed the edge of the stage
Recent Examples on the Web
Patrick Winn, Rolling Stone, 13 Apr. 2024
For us, this was was Selena Gomez, who debuted a feathered fringe with bombshell waves at her friend Nicola Peltz Beckham's Lola premiere.
—Michelle Lee, Peoplemag, 10 Apr. 2024
Feathery embellishments, luscious fringe dresses, minimal floral prints, and lotus flower-hems took the runway as the designer crafted a versatile wardrobe.
—Vogue, 6 Apr. 2024
Advertisement The region will be on the fringe of an eclipse in which the moon will briefly cover the entire face of the sun for people along a 115-mile wide path that extends from south-central Texas to northwestern Maine, taking in such large cities as Dallas and Cleveland.
—Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Apr. 2024
Hudson, who performed a rousing tribute to Icon Award honoree Cher, sported a sparkly semi-sheer bustier paired with a black fringe leather jacket.
—Kyle Denis, Billboard, 3 Apr. 2024
The message pressed every button on England’s paranoid fringes: an insinuation of support for Hamas, an apparent denigration of British history and memory by a Muslim left-winger, and a sense of backroom deals being done.
—Peter Guest, WIRED, 26 Mar. 2024
This plaid wool throw blanket from Brooklinen comes in black and white or navy and caramel, and there's a pretty fringe on two sides.
—Maya Polton, Parents, 27 Mar. 2024
Long, shaggy fringe will frame round faces and soften sharper face shapes.
—Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 27 Mar. 2024
Serge Dedina, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Mar. 2024
The most photogenic, Banana Beach, fringed by palms and bookended by granite boulders, is a 20-minute stroll away – a fantasy tropical beach safe to swim off and explore with complimentary kayaks.
—Catherine Fairweather, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Mar. 2024
Then fringe the ends by cutting many thing slits and add tissue paper pom-poms to resemble a firework display.
—Kit Selzer, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Mar. 2024
Jennifer Taylor Home Yolanda Upholstered Round Accent Ottoman As art deco makes a comeback, so does fringe.
—Stephanie Osmanski, Southern Living, 30 Dec. 2023
Branches with emerald leaves leaned over the pool, fringing the edges with shade.
—Mya Guarnieri, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Mar. 2024
The Central Valley historically had about 4 million acres of wetlands and riparian areas, forming a vast watery mosaic of marshes, vernal pools, rivers in braided channels and lakes fringed with tules and forests.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2024
The Row’s suede shoulder bag in navy is a no-brainer match; the same goes for Loewe’s signature fringed scarf.
—Laura Jackson, Vogue, 23 Jan. 2024
Their new house was a one-story, unpainted structure near a paved road and a grocery store, the only one in the area with a perimeter wall fringed in security wire.
—Jonathan Blitzer, The New Yorker, 28 Jan. 2024
Noun
It is treated as a fringe curiosity that has little to do with the United States.
—Patrick Winn, Rolling Stone, 13 Apr. 2024
For us, this was was Selena Gomez, who debuted a feathered fringe with bombshell waves at her friend Nicola Peltz Beckham's Lola premiere.
—Michelle Lee, Peoplemag, 10 Apr. 2024
Feathery embellishments, luscious fringe dresses, minimal floral prints, and lotus flower-hems took the runway as the designer crafted a versatile wardrobe.
—Vogue, 6 Apr. 2024
Advertisement The region will be on the fringe of an eclipse in which the moon will briefly cover the entire face of the sun for people along a 115-mile wide path that extends from south-central Texas to northwestern Maine, taking in such large cities as Dallas and Cleveland.
—Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Apr. 2024
Hudson, who performed a rousing tribute to Icon Award honoree Cher, sported a sparkly semi-sheer bustier paired with a black fringe leather jacket.
—Kyle Denis, Billboard, 3 Apr. 2024
The message pressed every button on England’s paranoid fringes: an insinuation of support for Hamas, an apparent denigration of British history and memory by a Muslim left-winger, and a sense of backroom deals being done.
—Peter Guest, WIRED, 26 Mar. 2024
This plaid wool throw blanket from Brooklinen comes in black and white or navy and caramel, and there's a pretty fringe on two sides.
—Maya Polton, Parents, 27 Mar. 2024
Long, shaggy fringe will frame round faces and soften sharper face shapes.
—Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 27 Mar. 2024
Verb
The salt marshes and salt ponds of southern San Diego Bay are 450 miles north of the mangrove fringed Laguna San Ignacio, a gray whale birthing lagoon on the Pacific Coast of the Baja California Peninsula.
—Serge Dedina, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Mar. 2024
The most photogenic, Banana Beach, fringed by palms and bookended by granite boulders, is a 20-minute stroll away – a fantasy tropical beach safe to swim off and explore with complimentary kayaks.
—Catherine Fairweather, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Mar. 2024
Then fringe the ends by cutting many thing slits and add tissue paper pom-poms to resemble a firework display.
—Kit Selzer, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Mar. 2024
Jennifer Taylor Home Yolanda Upholstered Round Accent Ottoman As art deco makes a comeback, so does fringe.
—Stephanie Osmanski, Southern Living, 30 Dec. 2023
Branches with emerald leaves leaned over the pool, fringing the edges with shade.
—Mya Guarnieri, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Mar. 2024
The Central Valley historically had about 4 million acres of wetlands and riparian areas, forming a vast watery mosaic of marshes, vernal pools, rivers in braided channels and lakes fringed with tules and forests.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2024
The Row’s suede shoulder bag in navy is a no-brainer match; the same goes for Loewe’s signature fringed scarf.
—Laura Jackson, Vogue, 23 Jan. 2024
Their new house was a one-story, unpainted structure near a paved road and a grocery store, the only one in the area with a perimeter wall fringed in security wire.
—Jonathan Blitzer, The New Yorker, 28 Jan. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fringe.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English frenge, from Anglo-French, from Vulgar Latin *frimbia, from Latin fimbriae (plural)
Verb
verbal derivative of fringe entry 1
First Known Use
Noun
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of fringe was
in the 14th century
Phrases Containing fringe
Articles Related to fringe
Dictionary Entries Near fringe
Cite this Entry
“Fringe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fringe. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
fringe
1 of 2 noun1
: an ornamental border consisting of hanging threads or strips
2
: something suggesting a fringe
lived on the fringe of the forest
fringe
2 of 2 verb
fringed; fringing
1
: to provide or decorate with a fringe
fringed a buckskin jacket
2
: to serve as a fringe for : border
a jungle fringed the shore
Medical Definition
fringe
nounoften attributive
: one of various light or dark bands produced by the interference or diffraction of light
More from Merriam-Webster on fringe
Nglish: Translation of fringe for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of fringe for Arabic Speakers
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