the brink
noun
: the edge at the top of a steep cliff
—usually used figuratively to refer to a point that is very close to the occurrence of something very bad or (less commonly) very good
He nearly lost everything because of his drug addiction, but his friends helped to pull him back from the brink.
The two nations are on the brink of war.
Doctors may be on the brink of finding a cure for this disease.
an animal that has been brought/pulled back from the brink of extinction
Examples of the brink in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
John Mateer has successfully steered the Sooners through a hailstorm of talented opposition to put his side on the brink of a first CFP berth since December 2019.
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Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Nov. 2025
After a two-year run in which the group went from clubs to theaters to arenas, buoyed by a string of platinum and gold singles and one of the most exciting live experiences in all of music, Treaty Oak Revival are on the brink of bona fide superstardom.
—Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 28 Nov. 2025
Attorneys argued that Bisch rescued the nonprofit from the brink of insolvency during his four years as executive director and set it on its path to success.
—Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 26 Nov. 2025
Traditional labor-intensive business models will be stressed to the brink by more nimble technologies.
—Big Think, 26 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the brink
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Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Nov. 2025
After a two-year run in which the group went from clubs to theaters to arenas, buoyed by a string of platinum and gold singles and one of the most exciting live experiences in all of music, Treaty Oak Revival are on the brink of bona fide superstardom.
—Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 28 Nov. 2025
Attorneys argued that Bisch rescued the nonprofit from the brink of insolvency during his four years as executive director and set it on its path to success.
—Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 26 Nov. 2025
Traditional labor-intensive business models will be stressed to the brink by more nimble technologies.
—Big Think, 26 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the brink
Cite this Entry
“The brink.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20brink. Accessed 1 Dec. 2025.
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