the brink

noun

: the edge at the top of a steep cliff

—usually used figuratively to refer to a point that is very close to the occurrence of something very bad or (less commonly) very good

He nearly lost everything because of his drug addiction, but his friends helped to pull him back from the brink.

The two nations are on the brink of war.

Doctors may be on the brink of finding a cure for this disease.

an animal that has been brought/pulled back from the brink of extinction

Examples of the brink in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The decline comes at the worst possible time, with the season on the brink and Atlanta starters’ ERA also rising steadily as injuries have mounted. —David O'Brien, New York Times, 21 July 2025

The company also faced multiple investigations and lawsuits, which ended in hefty settlements that put it on the brink of bankruptcy. —Zachary Folk, Forbes.com, 17 July 2025

As one string of urgent care clinics teeters on the brink of collapse, another is expanding. —Angela Palermo, Idaho Statesman, 17 July 2025

Now on the brink of adulthood, Belly finds herself at a crossroads and must decide which brother has her heart. —Billie Melissa, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 July 2025