teetering on the brink/edge of
idiom
: close to being in a specified state or condition
The countries are teetering on the brink of war.
The bird is teetering on the edge of extinction.
Examples of teetering on the brink/edge of in a Sentence
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His ability to galvanize a roster that was teetering on the brink of emotional detachment went a long way toward saving a season that was heading toward disappointment.
—
Sam Amick, New York Times, 22 May 2025
America’s mass transit agencies are teetering on the brink of collapse.
—Matthew Yglesias, Twin Cities, 14 May 2025
Jay Woodcroft Edmonton was teetering on the edge of disaster when Woodcroft took over in the middle of the 2021-22 season.
—Harman Dayal, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025
Over his first 100 days back in office, Donald Trump has presided over an America teetering on the brink of losing its liberal democratic form of government and standing in the world.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 29 Apr. 2025
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Sam Amick, New York Times, 22 May 2025
America’s mass transit agencies are teetering on the brink of collapse.
—Matthew Yglesias, Twin Cities, 14 May 2025
Jay Woodcroft Edmonton was teetering on the edge of disaster when Woodcroft took over in the middle of the 2021-22 season.
—Harman Dayal, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025
Over his first 100 days back in office, Donald Trump has presided over an America teetering on the brink of losing its liberal democratic form of government and standing in the world.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 29 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for teetering on the brink/edge of
Cite this Entry
“Teetering on the brink/edge of.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/teetering%20on%20the%20brink%2Fedge%20of. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.
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