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
The release of the Pixel 11 Pro Fold reinforces Google’s strategy of prioritizing the development and distribution of mobile AI over cutting-edge specs that other foldable manufacturers covet. — Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026 Trusted by senior executives for her insight and strategic clarity, Sharifa blends cultural fluency with cutting-edge program design. — Big Think, 18 Aug. 2026
Noun
The obsolete buildings are gone, Zurich fills up vacant space, and his village remains on the cutting edge. — Alex Nitkin, Chicago Tribune, 23 Aug. 2026 These are devices that were cutting edge some 20-30 years ago and the technology reflects that. — Anthony Karcz, Forbes.com, 21 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
  • Goldman expects China’s advanced-node wafer supply to reach 410,000 wafers per month by 2035, compared with monthly demand of 619,000 wafers.
    — Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2026
  • The display was set up by police, with authorities saying some of the bodies recovered from the floods were in an advanced state of decomposition, making physical identification difficult.
    — Freddie Clayton, NBC news, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of advanced
Noun
  • The theater was squarely in the exhibition vanguard then, designed and equipped as a boutique-size 750-seat alternative to the massive Balaban & Katz auditoriums of the day.
    — Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 22 Aug. 2026
  • Galliano represents the last of a vanguard of designers who developed cults of personalities.
    — Zoe Sottile, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of vanguard
Noun
  • Education and health services added 45,000 to lead all categories, with the latter group being at the forefront of employment growth.
    — Jeff Cox, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Caruana Galizia’s children were at the forefront in demanding accountability and justice for her death.
    — Kevin Schembri Orland, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of forefront
Adjective
  • His progressive pass zones, shaded most darkly near the halfway line in the opposition half, underline where Bard felt most comfortable passing from for Nice last term.
    — Beren Cross, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Rachel Yve, who posted a 20-minute somatic sleep support session on InsightTimer, blends somatic exercises, breathwork and progressive muscle relaxation, including legs up the wall.
    — Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of progressive
Noun
  • Since the late 1990s, taxpayers have been funding a program to stash extra Colorado River water underground, with the idea that it could be used as a backup in times of shortage.
    — Alex Hager, NPR, 31 Aug. 2026
  • On Facebook, discussion groups foster the feeling of a countercultural underground.
    — Ruby Cramer, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of underground
Noun
  • Its leading edge sweeps back 37 degrees, with a 28-degree sweep along the trailing edge.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 18 Aug. 2026
  • 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
Definition of leading edge
Adjective
  • Nancy Grace Roman, born in 1925, was a pioneering astronomer and the first chief of astronomy at NASA.
    — Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Below, Samia Halaby, another pioneering Palestinian painter, reflects on Mansour’s life and legacy.
    — Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of pioneering
Noun
  • The veterans, the pioneers who’ve been in organic cotton for decades, and the new faces arriving with fresh energy.
    — Bart Vollaard, Footwear News, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Rob Almond is the CEO of NEST, a pioneer of Integrated Facilities Management (IFM) in North America.
    — Rob Almond, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 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 5 Sep. 2026.

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