cutting edge

noun

Synonyms of cutting edgenext
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.
It was added to the campus master plan in March 2025 and will house an extension of A&M’s Visual Production Institute, a high-tech center that will teach students to use cutting edge filmmaking and graphics technology. Samuel O'Neal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Jan. 2026 But people who worked at Skydance Animation said the company’s technological capabilities weren’t especially cutting edge. Reeves Wiedeman, Vulture, 12 Jan. 2026 This is a program that’s been on the cutting edge for years, and NIL has done nothing to change that. Chris Branch, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2026 So it was decreed that the cutting edges of knives should be turned towards their owners, thus symbolizing their peaceful intent. Judith Martin, Sun Sentinel, 5 Jan. 2026 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 17 Jan. 2026.

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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