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cutting edge

noun

1
: a sharp effect or quality
2
: the foremost part or place : vanguard
cutting-edge adjective

Examples of cutting edge in a Sentence

a company that has always been on the cutting edge of the new electronic media He's a director who tries to keep his films right on the cutting edge.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Even coaches not on the cutting edge have shifted away from punting in short-yardage situations, or when losing late in a close game; everyone now knows that going for the first down will, in many situations, give them better odds of winning. Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 23 Nov. 2025 Well, near Cardiff, which will be home to a fleet of 36 cutting edge tram-trains – a centerpiece of the region’s new transport network. Simon Perry, PEOPLE, 14 Nov. 2025 An age where cable TV was the growing, modern presence, and flip phones and pagers were cutting edge. The Athletic Nba Staff, New York Times, 10 Nov. 2025 An important part of catch shares involves using some fairly cutting edge technology to verify and record what every single fisherman or boat is bringing in. Dan Morrison, USA Today, 7 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for cutting edge

Word History

First Known Use

1804, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of cutting edge was in 1804

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Cite this Entry

“Cutting edge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cutting%20edge. Accessed 1 Dec. 2025.

Kids Definition

cutting edge

noun
1
: the sharp edge of a cutting tool
2
: the newest and most advanced area of an activity
cutting-edge adjective
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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