cutting-edge 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of cutting-edgenext
as in advanced
being or employing the latest concepts, styles, or techniques his insistent tracking shots and rapid-fire pacing earned him a reputation as a cutting-edge filmmaker

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

cutting edge

2 of 2

noun

1
as in vanguard
the innovators of new concepts, styles, and techniques especially in the arts an urban enclave that has an established reputation for being hospitable to artists who are part of the cutting edge

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in forefront
the leading or most important part of a movement a company that has always been on the cutting edge of the new electronic media

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 cutting-edge
Adjective
Google signed a gigantic infrastructure deal to supply Anthropic with cutting-edge chips as the industry explores new financing paradigms to meet the AI industry's insatiable appetite for compute power. — Emily Forlini, Fortune, 4 Aug. 2026 This contemporary collaboration offers musical artistry and a cutting-edge multi-tiered sensory performance filled with all the poetic contradictions of the lake itself. — Gina Grillo, Chicago Tribune, 3 Aug. 2026
Noun
That lack of cutting edge was evident in the shootout, with Rayan Ait Nouri, Abdukodir Khusanov and Nico Gonzalez missing the first three penalties. — Sam Lee, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2026 Since OutKick is always on the cutting edge of cultural changes, here is the next one that is going to hit. — Joe Kinsey Outkick, FOXNews.com, 1 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cutting-edge
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cutting-edge
  1. advanced
  2. vanguard
  3. forefront
  4. progressive
  5. underground
  6. leading edge
  7. pioneering
  8. pioneer
Adjective
  • Once operational in late 2027, the facility is expected to produce about 12,000 metric tons of advanced polymer electrolyte each year, enough material for as much as 25 GWh of lithium-ion battery production.
    — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 22 Aug. 2026
  • The vaccine, in combination with Keytruda , met key goals in patients with higher-risk or advanced melanoma whose detectable cancer had been completely removed through surgery.
    — Deena Zaidi, CNBC, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of advanced
Noun
  • Galliano represents the last of a vanguard of designers who developed cults of personalities.
    — Zoe Sottile, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2026
  • The great technological leaps in American history have often featured influential industrialists who step forward as vanguards, leading the way to a better tomorrow while emerging as major players in extreme endeavors.
    — Jeff Spry, Space.com, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of vanguard
Noun
  • The wave of victories first came to the forefront with New York's June primaries, where a trio of wins by insurgent candidates in New York City prompted widespread speculation about the future of the Democratic Party.
    — Caitlin Yilek, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Jean Louis pledged to put the everyday resident on the forefront of his agenda.
    — Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of forefront
Adjective
  • Black Americans were struggling against the legacy of Jim Crow, and Abdeen interned with Ernest Goodman, a civil-rights lawyer who was reviving the National Lawyers Guild, a collective of progressive legal professionals.
    — Rozina Ali, New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Several political programs returned to the chart this quarter, including Mark Levin Podcast, Breaking Points with Krystal and Saagar, The David Pakman Show, Pivot, and Piers Morgan Uncensored, spanning both progressive and conservative audiences.
    — Frank Racioppi, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of progressive
Noun
  • To many, Anthony Bourdain is the patron saint of the culinary underground.
    — Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Born William Wainwright in north London in 1956, Orbit left school at 16 and immersed himself in the city’s post-punk underground.
    — SPIN Staff, SPIN, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of underground
Noun
  • Many departments across South Florida are adopting AI tools, and some intentionally are not, but the Palm Beach Police Department seems to be on the leading edge of how the technology is being used in law enforcement.
    — Laurie Mermet, Sun Sentinel, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Wind speeds of 60 to 70 mph will be possible on the leading edge of any storms rolling through.
    — Ron Smiley, CBS News, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of leading edge
Adjective
  • Chester Zoo and the University of Liverpool teamed up to try the pioneering treatment on the 15-foot python after a cancerous tumor on the reptile’s jaw reappeared following surgery to remove it.
    — Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Wexler won an Oscar for his work, which included a pioneering 2-minute, 15-second Steadicam shot that trailed and then led David Carradine as the folk singer through a crowd of migrant workers.
    — Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of pioneering
Noun
  • Venture just beyond downtown to Mount Moriah Cemetery, where Calamity Jane lies buried next to Wild Bill Hickok; paths through the pines lead to the graves of pioneers and other Wild West figures, like Seth Bullock.
    — Jacqueline Kehoe, Midwest Living, 19 Aug. 2026
  • New York — Columbia House, a pioneer of subscription music before streaming, is shutting down after seven decades in business.
    — Jordan Valinsky, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of pioneer

Browse Nearby Words

cutting (down)
cutting-edge
cutting edge
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Cite this Entry

“Cutting-edge.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cutting-edge. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

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