on the verge of

idiom

: at the point when (something) is about to happen or is very likely to happen
The company was on the verge of going bankrupt.
The child was on the verge of tears.
We were on the verge of divorce.

Examples of on the verge of in a Sentence

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.
Forest midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White was on the verge of a move to Tottenham in July, but, to the surprise of many (particularly his suitors in North London), he was eventually persuaded to sign a new contract. Oliver Kay, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2025 The reel ends with Burgess driving, on the verge of tears after dropping Zane off at school. Daniel S. Levine, People.com, 3 Sep. 2025 While Dallas won't participate in the upcoming playoffs, the team seems on the verge of returning to the postseason behind Paige's contributions. Matthew Couden, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025 This means that the cryptographic lockboxes protecting personal information, financial records and intellectual property are on the verge of being broken wide open. Anand Oswal, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for on the verge of

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“On the verge of.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/on%20the%20verge%20of. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!