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

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web

Jones is now at the helm of a prestige cable show, but his skill set was honed over years in local and satellite radio stations, often on the brink of cancellation. —Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 21 Mar. 2023

On the weekend of March 25-27, 2022, Panama City Beach and Panama City were hit by a wave of disorderly gatherings that officials said were often on the brink of violence. —Lawrence Specker | , al, 20 Mar. 2023

Monk heads to a bar, still armored in his regal half-hearted cheerfulness but on the brink of his alternate register, a discreetly exasperated-ecstatic one. —Harmony Holiday, The New Yorker, 18 Mar. 2023

Thursday, March 16 — First Republic Bank was teetering on the brink as customers withdrew their deposits. —Mark Thompson, CNN, 17 Mar. 2023

Louis and Marie Antoinette inherited a kingdom on the brink of disaster. —Meilan Solly, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Mar. 2023

Following a group of friends who live in Leipzig, the book captures Germany on the brink of change. —Michael Stillwell, Town & Country, 14 Mar. 2023

Danielle Olivera Says Lindsay Hubbard 'Wasn't Hearing Me' and Wanted Carl Radke Relationship to Seem 'Perfect' As fans of the Bravo show know, Carl and Lindsay — who had already moved in together — were on the brink of getting engaged. —Alexis Jones, Peoplemag, 13 Mar. 2023

Then 35 and in his 13th big-league season, DeRosa became a sounding board and mentor for players, young and old, who were on the brink of making history. —John Shea, San Francisco Chronicle, 11 Mar. 2023

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