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
Others see Art Basel Paris as the perfect place to experiment with cutting-edge, lower-price works. — Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 7 Oct. 2026 Next door, the architecturally striking Jim Thompson Art Center has an art gallery, library, and store selling fine art books and accessories by cutting-edge young designers. — Tony Perrottet, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
Noun
Hilary had accidentally stumbled into a cutting edge—and somewhat controversial—corner of psychiatry. — Jamie Ducharme, Bon Appetit Magazine, 30 Sep. 2026 California companies have propelled this movement, turning what was once an old-fashioned way to save money into a booming industry at the cutting edge of style. — Los Angeles Times, 19 Sep. 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
  • Now in advanced financing after years of development, the team is using Busan to close the remaining gap and meet partners to take the film into production.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Facing China’s far larger military, which is adding advanced new weapons such as stealth-fighter jets, aircraft carriers and a huge array of missiles, Taiwan is ramping up defense spending and modernising its armed forces.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of advanced
Noun
  • The masthead means to identify vanguard critics, poets, and authors for a lively new readership.
    — Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Madonna, host Snoop Dogg and this year’s video vanguard recipient Nirvana also have strong appeal to an older demo.
    — Paul Grein, Billboard, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of vanguard
Noun
  • Osborne, a former Chancellor of the Exchequer, has been at the forefront of negotiations between the British Museum and Greece.
    — Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Fairmont La Hacienda Costa del Sol – the only Fairmont property in Spain and which opened in 2025 – is at the forefront of the region’s reinvention and has recently added a new beach club.
    — Siobhan Grogan, TheWeek, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of forefront
Adjective
  • The idea that criminals could serve sentences behind bars was a more progressive approach to justice in comparison.
    — Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Vang, 41, is one of several younger and progressive challengers seeking to oust longtime incumbents across the country.
    — Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of progressive
Noun
  • Storing heat underground uses the same principle, though in reverse.
    — Moones Alamooti, The Conversation, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Most Read Reviews Appropriately enough for two musicians working at the cutting edge of this underground, Bowery Electric’s Martha Schwendener and Lawrence Chandler met while working at pre-fab master Andy Warhol’s Interview magazine.
    — Sadie Sartini Garner, Pitchfork, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of underground
Noun
  • Recovery tech is becoming a lifestyle category, and the compression boot sits on the leading edge of it, welcomed by anyone who wants to keep moving without waking up stiff.
    — Samantha Agate, Sacbee.com, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Woven throughout is a spotlight on SCAD students and alumni working at the leading edge of animation, motion-media design and visual effects.
    — Clayton Davis, Variety, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of leading edge
Adjective
  • Jean-Pierre Laffont is a pioneering French-American photojournalist who documented pivotal moments of the 20th century.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Viagra had come along five years earlier, an immediate pioneering blockbuster.
    — Bob Brody, Chicago Tribune, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of pioneering
Noun
  • The book covers an enormous chunk of British screen history (1896 to 2001), with each chapter uncovering and illuminating the careers of early Black screen pioneers.
    — Zac Ntim, Deadline, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Jeddah’s Athr Gallery is debuting with Mosly and a second pioneer of Saudi modernism, Abdulrahman Alsulaiman.
    — Manal Albarakati, semafor.com, 13 Oct. 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 17 Oct. 2026.

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