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cusp

noun

ˈkəsp How to pronounce cusp (audio)
Definition of cuspnext
1
as in verge
an interval of time just before the onset of something medical researchers who are on the cusp of a major breakthrough

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in end
the last and usually sharp or tapering part of something long and narrow the cusp of a fang

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of cusp The inability to imagine a middle-class life—especially for the Subaru Socialists right on the cusp of comfort—seems to be what’s behind a slate of recent electoral victories for the Democratic Socialists of America. — Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2026 Pandemic restrictions heavily curtailed his first season, while a wave of antitrust litigation challenged the economic foundation of the NCAA and California moved to the cusp of ushering in the NIL era through state-level legislation. — Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 23 July 2026 The clutter ebbs and flows like the tide, reflecting the chaos of spaces where artists live, often homes just on the cusp between quaint and unbearably chaotic. — Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 21 July 2026 Also, if this is what the cusp of 50 looks like, please pass the bottle of potion. — Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 7 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for cusp
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cusp
  1. verge
  2. end
  3. brink
  4. tip
  5. apex
Noun
  • Sinner, who needed the title to complete a career Grand Slam of his own, lost to Argentina’s Juan Manuel Cerúndolo from the verge of victory, wilting in the heat of Paris and with no little help from an illness.
    — James Hansen, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026
  • But the police also caution that many stories involving scopolamine verge on urban legend, and confirm that most criminals use other sedative drugs to manipulate their victims.
    — Mattha Busby, Rolling Stone, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of verge
Noun
  • Trump’s Defense Production Act authority is slated to lapse at the end of the month.
    — Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 21 Sep. 2026
  • While the era’s bust eventually brought most of those ventures to an end, Brown said the experience taught him not to let the fear of failure—or looking foolish—get in the way.
    — Preston Fore, Fortune, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of end
Noun
  • If foods or liquids within the main refrigerator compartment are showing signs of frost or freezing, this is a sign that your fridge could be at its brink.
    — Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Keegan later moved into management, revitalizing Newcastle ​United and taking ​the club to ⁠the brink of the Premier League title in the mid-1990s before enduring a more difficult spell as England manager.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 20 July 2026
Definition of brink
Noun
  • Experts say to avoid washing darks with linty fabrics, overdoing the detergent and using the heavy-duty wash cycle, among other tips.
    — Jolie Kerr, Washington Post, 26 Sep. 2026
  • Insider tip Ask about the story behind the Ruinas del Mar restaurant.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of tip
Noun
  • The apex of his season came in July, when Walker outlasted hometown favorite Kyle Schwarber to win the 2026 Home Run Derby on a walk-off blast.
    — Jayson Stark, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Even when stomped into the mud by a 17,500-pound apex predator, dinosaur footprints rarely last long enough to fossilize over millions of years.
    — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of apex

Browse Nearby Words

cushy
cusp
cusps
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Cite this Entry

“Cusp.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cusp. Accessed 28 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on cusp

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about cusp

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