brink

noun

ˈbriŋk 

1

: edge

especially : the edge at the top of a steep place

2

: a bank especially of a river

3

: the point of onset : verge

on the brink of war

4

: the threshold of danger

Synonyms of brink

• verge

Examples of brink in a Sentence

was at the brink of death when the rescuers arrived

Recent Examples on the Web

But with the Trojans on the very brink of the tournament bubble, time is quickly running out on that possibility. —Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 28 Feb. 2026

Topline Spirit Airlines announced on Tuesday a deal with its creditors to emerge from bankruptcy later this year, with plans to substantially shrink the company while shedding more than $5 billion in debt, marking the discount airline’s second return from the financial brink in less than a year. —Ty Roush, Forbes.com, 24 Feb. 2026

Ironically, a hiring surge of factotums has helped push San Diego to the financial brink. —Kate Callen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Jan. 2026

Hope still wafted through the 104,122 in attendance, especially after Reed drove the team downfield to brink of overtime, only to come up short on a touch pass the Hurricanes read well. —Cedric Golden, Austin American Statesman, 21 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse brekka slope; akin to Middle Dutch brink grassland

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing brink

• brought/pulled back from the brink of
• on the brink of
• teetering on the brink/edge of
• the brink

Rhymes for brink

• blink
• chink
• cinque
• clink
• dink
• drink
• fink
• hink
• ink
• kink
• klink
• link

Kids Definition

brink

noun

ˈbriŋk 

1

: the edge at the top of a steep place

2

: a point of beginning : verge

on the brink of war