fringe

1 of 2

noun

often attributive
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 : 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
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
fringy adjective

fringe

2 of 2

verb

fringed; fringing ˈfrin-jiŋ How to pronounce fringe (audio)

transitive verb

1
: to furnish or adorn with a fringe
2
: to serve as a fringe for : border

Examples of fringe in a Sentence

Noun a lampshade with a fringe a fringe of moss around the tree a party on the political fringe Verb A jungle fringed the shore. the orchestral pit fringed the edge of the stage
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Citizens began to ask why the supposedly omnipotent Chinese Communist Party was powerless against ragtag hoodlums in the poorest fringes of Asia’s poorest nations. TIME, 21 Mar. 2024 The Hard Rock Stage and the Good Molecules Reverb Stage have an emphasis on artists that are newer and/or on the fringes of making a chart impact, with highlights including Reyna Roberts, Fancy Hagood, Annie Bosko, Kelsey Waldon and Walker County. Chris Willman, Variety, 14 Mar. 2024 New court filings reviewed by CNN reveal that the fringe pro-Trump network OAN has secured permission from a federal judge to request documents from the Philippines government and nine other countries where Smartmatic does business. Marshall Cohen, CNN, 12 Mar. 2024 During her first 24 hours trying to find a foothold in Albuquerque’s moody fringes, Jackie sleeps with JJ (Dave Franco), Lou’s repellent brother-in-law, for a job, and then Lou herself for reasons the film leaves deliberately vague. Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2024 In January this year, Masque took to the road, with a pop-up at Nahargarh Fort on the fringes of the Ranthambore forest, and then in a mango farm in Chennai, where 100 diners sat at a single wooden table for a dinner by India’s top chefs, including Totlani. Cnt Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Mar. 2024 Models show a sharp cutoff to the rain on its western fringe and exactly where that will set up is unclear. Jason Samenow, Washington Post, 4 Mar. 2024 But the poll suggests that in deeply conservative and religious states, Christian nationalism is no longer seen as a fringe movement. Will Carless, USA TODAY, 7 Mar. 2024 High-point vistas showcase a fringe of mountains including iconic Granite Mountain, Glassford Hill and the peaks of Prescott National Forest. Mare Czinar, The Arizona Republic, 7 Mar. 2024
Verb
The most photogenic, Banana Beach, fringed by palms and bookended by granite boulders, is a 20-minute stroll away – a fantasy tropical beach safe to swim off and explore with complimentary kayaks. Catherine Fairweather, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Mar. 2024 Then fringe the ends by cutting many thing slits and add tissue paper pom-poms to resemble a firework display. Kit Selzer, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Mar. 2024 Jennifer Taylor Home Yolanda Upholstered Round Accent Ottoman As art deco makes a comeback, so does fringe. Stephanie Osmanski, Southern Living, 30 Dec. 2023 Branches with emerald leaves leaned over the pool, fringing the edges with shade. Mya Guarnieri, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Mar. 2024 The Central Valley historically had about 4 million acres of wetlands and riparian areas, forming a vast watery mosaic of marshes, vernal pools, rivers in braided channels and lakes fringed with tules and forests. Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2024 The Row’s suede shoulder bag in navy is a no-brainer match; the same goes for Loewe’s signature fringed scarf. Laura Jackson, Vogue, 23 Jan. 2024 Their new house was a one-story, unpainted structure near a paved road and a grocery store, the only one in the area with a perimeter wall fringed in security wire. Jonathan Blitzer, The New Yorker, 28 Jan. 2024 Season 2, in which Marie subjected herself to fringe therapies (magnets, tuning forks), surveyed the wellness industry. Alexis Soloski, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fringe.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

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

Verb

verbal derivative of fringe entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of fringe was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near fringe

Cite this Entry

“Fringe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fringe. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

fringe

1 of 2 noun
1
: an ornamental border consisting of hanging threads or strips
2
: something suggesting a fringe
lived on the fringe of the forest

fringe

2 of 2 verb
fringed; fringing
1
: to provide or decorate with a fringe
fringed a buckskin jacket
2
: to serve as a fringe for : border
a jungle fringed the shore

Medical Definition

fringe

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

More from Merriam-Webster on fringe

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