fringe

noun, often attributive \ ˈfrinj \

Definition of fringe

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 a :something resembling a fringe :edge, periphery —often used in plural

operated on the fringes of the law

working for years on the fringes of the entertainment industry

b chiefly British :⁴bang

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 :fringe benefit

—

fringy

play \ˈfrin-jē\ adjective

See fringe defined for English-language learners

See fringe defined for kids

Examples of fringe in a Sentence

a lampshade with a fringe
a fringe of moss around the tree
a party on the political fringe

Recent Examples of fringe from the Web

Sophomore wing V.J. King attended Adidas Nations camp with Mahmoud and Spalding and is considered a potential fringe-first-round pick.

— jeff greer, The Courier-Journal, "Rick Pitino: Louisville basketball holding pro day this fall for NBA scouts," 30 Aug. 2017
Dukakis, who as Massachusetts governor had endorsed the furlough program, lost the election, relegating violent offenders to the fringes of public debate for the next three decades.

— maura ewing, The Atlantic, "Why So Few Violent Offenders Are Let Out on Parole," 29 Aug. 2017
In Durham, N.C., where a Confederate statue was pulled down by a cheering mob, the city has arrested Maoist activists who had worked only in fringe politics.

— david weigel, Washington Post, "Democrats launch #RiseAndOrganize campaign to build on Charlottesville protests," 17 Aug. 2017
The national identity pushed for by Trump and his supporters flirts with nativism and protectionism in its most palatable form and shades into morally outrageous ethno-nationalism on the alt-right fringe.

— max bloom, National Review, "Dunkirk and Our Crisis of National Identity," 1 Aug. 2017
George Romero, the genre-defining director whose films took zombie fiction out of the fringes and into the mainstream, died Sunday at the age of 77.

— vanityfair.com, "Horror Legends Pay Tribute to the Late George Romero," 16 July 2017
To accentuate your upper lash line without creating spidery fringe, apply a strip of false lashes meant for your lower lashes from corner to corner.

— the editors, Marie Claire, "45 Expert-Approved Beauty Tips to Hack Your Makeup Routine," 14 July 2017
The hardline fringe of the party promised to raise hell any time there was any suggestion of compromise with Brussels.

— The Economist, "The British economy if the country crashes out of the European Union," 13 July 2017
Though the public has generally supported clearing invaders from uninhabited islands around New Zealand’s fringe, there’s been some resistance to control efforts in populated areas.

— april reese, Science | AAAS, "New Zealand aims to eradicate invasive predators, but winning public support may be big challenge," 10 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'fringe.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of fringe

Middle English frenge, from Anglo-French, from Vulgar Latin *frimbia, from Latin fimbriae (plural)

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

See Words from the same year

fringe Synonyms

Synonyms

borderline, bound, boundary, brim, circumference, compass, confines, edge, edging, end, frame, border, hem, margin, perimeter, periphery, rim, skirt, skirting, verge

Related Words

ambit; brink, crest, curb, cusp, lip; ceiling, maximum; demarcation, extent, limitation, measure, mere, restriction, termination; borderland, frontier, march, outskirts, pale, selvage; lap; shore

Near Antonyms

center, core, heart; inner, inside, interior, middle, within

Other Clothing Terms

babushka, brogue, bumbershoot, cravat, dishabille, furbelow, layette, raiment, spectator

fringe

verb

Definition of fringe

fringed; fringing play \ˈfrin-jiŋ\

transitive verb

1 :to furnish or adorn with a fringe

2 :to serve as a fringe for :border

See fringe defined for English-language learners

Examples of fringe in a Sentence

A jungle fringed the shore.
the orchestral pit fringed the edge of the stage

Recent Examples of fringe from the Web

In the photo, Kim wears a black sparkly fringed dress, butt-length hair extensions, extra-luscious eyelashes, strong brows, and glowy, contoured makeup.

— andrea park, Allure, "Kim Kardashian West Is Giving Cher Vibes on the Cover of Harper's Bazaar Arabia," 30 Aug. 2017
During the summer of 2009, while doing a job off the coast of New Jersey for the British Geological Survey, one of Orgeron’s liftboats was docked in Atlantic City, a harbor more accustomed to mega yachts and fringed by casinos.

— justin nobel, Longreads, "Why Oil-Loving Louisiana Should Embrace America’s Coming Offshore Wind Boom," 23 Aug. 2017
Conservative sites are all too happy to provide coverage, flinging these figures to fringe alt-right fame in the process.

— cam wolf, GQ, "These Schools Banned Trump Gear—Unless They Didn’t," 22 Aug. 2017
Few make the 6,000-mile trip across the Pacific to visit, and the island’s palm fringed beaches and flamingo sunsets lure mostly South Korean and Japanese tourists.

— Time, "Guam Before the Storm: Life on the Island Caught Between Trump and Kim," 16 Aug. 2017
And who could forget her all-white, satin, fringed-and-rhinestoned Western look that finally won Vivian over?

— claire landsbaum, The Cut, "Desert Hearts Is My Ultimate Queer Style Inspiration," 31 July 2017
Australia is fringed by some of the richest marine ecosystems in the world.

— april reese, Science | AAAS, "Australian government to roll back marine protections," 24 July 2017
None of France’s major opposition parties or unions have called for protests, though some American expatriate organizations and fringe French groups are planning minor rallies on the outskirts of the capital.

— justin sink, Bloomberg.com, "Trump and Macron Get to Push Reset on Their Awkward Relationship," 12 July 2017
Copperleaf has reddish-brown leaves that are not just curly but also fringed.

— bonnie blodgett, Twin Cities, "Blundering Gardener: If the rain didn’t get your plants, the aphids just might," 27 May 2017

Origin and Etymology of fringe

see ¹fringe

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

See Words from the same year

fringe Synonyms

Synonyms

abut, border (on), butt (on or against), flank, adjoin, join, march (with), neighbor, skirt, touch, verge (on)

Related Words

attach (to), communicate (with), connect (with), link (with); bound, embrace, encircle, enclose (also inclose), fence, line, margin, rim, surround; contact, converge, meet

Other Clothing Terms

babushka, brogue, bumbershoot, cravat, dishabille, furbelow, layette, raiment, spectator

FRINGE Defined for English Language Learners

fringe

noun

Definition of fringe for English Language Learners

: a border made of hanging threads used to decorate the edge of something (such as clothing, rugs, and curtains)
: a narrow area along the edge of something
: an area of activity that is related to but not part of whatever is central or most widely accepted : a group of people with extreme views or unpopular opinions

fringe

verb

Definition of fringe for English Language Learners

: to decorate (something) with a fringe
: to go along or around (something)

FRINGE Defined for Kids

fringe

noun \ ˈfrinj \

Definition of fringe for Students

1 :a border or trimming made by or made to look like the loose ends of the cloth

2 :a narrow area along the edge

I ran till I got to the fringe of the forest.

fringe

verb

Definition of fringe for Students

fringed; fringing

1 :to decorate with a fringe

2 :to go along or around

A hedge fringed the yard.

Medical Dictionary

fringe

noun, often attributive \ ˈfrinj \

medical Definition of fringe

:one of various light or dark bands produced by the interference or diffraction of light

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fringe

Definition of fringe

Examples of fringe in a Sentence

Recent Examples of fringe from the Web

Origin and Etymology of fringe

fringe Synonyms

Synonyms

Related Words

Other Clothing Terms

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FRINGE Defined for English Language Learners

fringe

Definition of fringe for English Language Learners

fringe

Definition of fringe for English Language Learners

FRINGE Defined for Kids

fringe

Definition of fringe for Students

fringe

Definition of fringe for Students

Medical Dictionary

fringe

medical Definition of fringe

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