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Definition of fringe
(Entry 1 of 2)
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
2a : something resembling a fringe : edge, periphery —often used in plural operated on the fringes of the lawworking for years on the fringes of the entertainment industry
b chiefly British : bang entry 4 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
3a : 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
fringe
verb
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Definition of fringe (Entry 2 of 2)
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Other Words from fringe
Noun
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adjective
Synonyms for fringe
Synonyms: Noun
border, borderline, bound, boundary, brim, circumference, compass, confines, edge, edging, end, frame, hem, margin, perimeter, periphery, rim, skirt, skirting, verge
Synonyms: Verb
border, bound, edge, frame, margin, rim, skirt
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Examples of fringe in a Sentence
Noun
a lampshade with a fringe a fringe of moss around the tree a party on the political fringeVerb
A jungle fringed the shore. the orchestral pit fringed the edge of the stage
Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
Musk’s fringe is different because the center is morally righteous, which means the outliers are even more fervent than other fandoms. — Bijan Stephen, The Verge, "The gospel of Elon Musk, according to his flock," 26 June 2018 Players on the fringes of the 60 picks Thursday night might travel to a dozen or more teams, looking to at least get an invitation to a summer-league roster. — Rick Bonnell, charlotteobserver, "Mitch Kupchak's NBA draft memory: No workouts, no celebration, just a telegram," 19 June 2018 Around us there’s a fringe of rain and the sky is black, and there’s that sound, a kind of pressurized silence, as if the orchestra were about to start playing. — Ben Marcus, The New Yorker, "Stay Down and Take It," 19 May 2018 Sew along the perimeter, 1/2 inch from the edge, and carefully trim the overhang or pull loose threads to create fringe. — Martha Stewart, star-telegram, "DIY projects: elegant table linens, instant art, winning storage solutions and more | Fort Worth Star-Telegram," 27 Apr. 2018 On the outermost fringe is Neelay Mehta, an Indian-American computer-game inventor, wheelchair-bound since adolescence after a fall from a California live oak that leaves him paralyzed. — Michael Upchurch, BostonGlobe.com, "Richard Powers sees the forest and the trees," 6 Apr. 2018 The idea of race being tied to intelligence has a long and controversial history and is considered fringe. — Diana Lambert And Anita Chabria, sacbee, "High school science fair project questioning African American intelligence sparks outrage," 11 Feb. 2018 In 2011, Rihanna went with this interesting fringe-like dress that definitely left little to the imagination. — Stacey Grant, Seventeen, "The Most Scandalous Grammys Red Carpet Fashion of All Time," 25 Jan. 2018 Make sure your faux fringe is the real deal (real hair, that is). — Harper's Bazaar Staff, Harper's BAZAAR, "How to Cut & Style Jane Birkin Bangs," 14 Dec. 2016Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
The village’s corniche, dominated by von Habsburg’s monastery, is fringed with palm trees, and the ruins of a striking 1936 Art Moderne hotel by Nikola Dobrovi´c nestle among the medieval houses. — François Halard, Vogue, "How a Master Restorer Turned a Ruined Croatian Monastery Into a Personal Paradise," 16 Feb. 2018 Another standout moment includes the subject strutting down a quiet street in a hot pink fringed Emilio Pucci dress. — Liana Satenstein, Vogue, "@Checking_Invoices Is the Anonymous, Masked Instagram Account That Makes Fashion Fun Again," 10 July 2018 Our mission on this day would be very different — just a small armada of eight kayaks ferrying paddlers intent on exploring the bay’s palm-fringed shore. — New York Times, "Want to See the Wild Side of Cuba? Try a Kayak," 16 May 2018 High numbers weren’t limited only to fringe pros like Gregory, though. — Dan Gartland, SI.com, "Scott Gregory Shoots First-Round 92 at U.S. Open," 14 June 2018 Wiry and muscular, he was invariably dressed in a buckskin suit, fringed at the edges, with a deerskin cap ornamented with a fox tail. — Gary Kamiya, SFChronicle.com, "The original Grizzly Adams kept his bears on a chain in SF," 7 July 2018 As police tried to keep order, fist fights broke out in a string of downtown parks fringed with aspen trees and dotted with plaques honoring Portland’s founders and fallen World War II soldiers. — Washington Post, "Violent protests again draw attention to Portland, Oregon," 10 June 2018 As police tried to keep order, fist fights broke out in a string of downtown parks fringed with aspen trees and dotted with plaques honoring Portland's founders and fallen World War II soldiers. — Fox News, "Violent skirmishes between Antifa, right-wing activists draw national attention to Portland, Oregon," 9 June 2018 Others cast a wary eye on the wave of populist tremors that fringe parties in mature nations like France and Germany have tried to ride. — Steven Rattner, New York Times, "Dambisa Moyo’s Proposals for Saving Democracy," 7 June 2018These 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.
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More Definitions for fringe
fringe
noun
English Language Learners Definition of fringe
(Entry 1 of 2)
: 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
verbEnglish Language Learners Definition of fringe (Entry 2 of 2)
: to decorate (something) with a fringe
: to go along or around (something)
See the full definition for fringe in the English Language Learners Dictionary
fringe
noun
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Kids Definition of fringe
(Entry 1 of 2)
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
verbKids Definition of fringe (Entry 2 of 2)
1 : to decorate with a fringe
2 : to go along or around A hedge fringed the yard.
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Medical Definition of fringe
: one of various light or dark bands produced by the interference or diffraction of light
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