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

Relevance

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 frontier models—the most advanced, cutting-edge AI systems— are closed completely and the trend is accelerating. — David Siegel, Fortune, 3 July 2026 If an employee does not understand that their digital behavior impacts business continuity, no investment in cutting-edge software will be enough. — Vicente Pava, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
Noun
Joe Prince-Wright breaks down England's win over Panama to secure first place in Group L with Jude Bellingham providing the cutting edge to beat a sticky Panama side and showed what his impact can be moving forward. — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 28 June 2026 Instead of a definitive ranking, this list highlights seven of the world’s most advanced and capable air defense systems, each representing the cutting edge of its class. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 28 June 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
  • Audio from the original 911 call appeared to indicate McConnell was unconscious when emergency crews were dispatched, and the dispatcher requested an advanced life support response.
    — Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 11 July 2026
  • The Cheswick campus spans 118 acres, where Curtiss-Wright designs, manufactures, and tests advanced solutions critical to naval defense and commercial nuclear markets.
    — Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 11 July 2026
Definition of advanced
Noun
  • Columbia waded into the rock vanguard after Davis attended the Monterey International Pop Festival in June 1967 at the behest of its organizer Lou Adler, whose Ode Records was distributed by CBS.
    — Chris Morris, Variety, 22 June 2026
  • Linklater was a vanguard of the indie film movement of the 1990s.
    — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 18 June 2026
Definition of vanguard
Noun
  • After all, this was one of Bermuda’s first major hotel projects in more than a decade—one that put contemporary design at the forefront.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 July 2026
  • Marked down a rare 36 percent, these chic loafers are crafted from sleek leather for a streamlined, sophisticated look on the outside and a pillowy feel on the inside, leaving all-day comfort at the forefront.
    — Julia Morlino, Travel + Leisure, 15 July 2026
Definition of forefront
Adjective
  • In the Green New Deal discussion, though, this hypothetical meat ban effectively functioned as metaphorical shortcut for progressive political overreach.
    — David Rooney, The Conversation, 10 July 2026
  • By the early 1990s, Eugene had earned itself a reputation as a beacon of progressive-minded irreverence, drawing a pungent mix of weirdos, iconoclasts, and freethinkers.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 July 2026
Definition of progressive
Noun
  • For the past half-decade, evilgiane and his Surf Gang collective have had their hands all over the quirkiest and most effervescent sounds of rap’s underground and mainstream.
    — Oba Awolowo, Pitchfork, 3 July 2026
  • Taking the dance sensation out of New York's gay underground and on the road, the singer vogued her way around the world on her 1990 Blond Ambition Tour, which kicked off in Japan that April.
    — Cara Lynn Shultz, PEOPLE, 29 June 2026
Definition of underground
Noun
  • Whether these cases are isolated incidents or the leading edge of something far more consequential is a question that law enforcement and researchers are only beginning to confront.
    — Elizabeth Robinson, NBC news, 7 July 2026
  • By this point, the city had become the leading edge of a national issue.
    — Joaquin Sapien, ProPublica, 30 June 2026
Definition of leading edge
Adjective
  • From the earliest pioneering expeditions and nighttime escapes from bondage to the modern-day road trip, Americans are a people on the move – restless, ambitious and innovative.
    — Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 4 July 2026
  • This new adaptation promises to bring the pioneering adventures of the Ingalls family to a new generation, and has already been renewed for a second season.
    — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 3 July 2026
Definition of pioneering
Noun
  • Sumissura, the online tailoring platform for women, is among the most recent technology pioneers leveraging AI to enhance fit.
    — Roy Stephen Canivel, Footwear News, 15 July 2026
  • Over his past few pictures, Nolan has become a pioneer in shooting on Imax film, but The Odyssey is his first to be shot entirely in the large-screen format.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 14 July 2026
Definition of pioneer

Browse Nearby Words

cutting (down)
cutting-edge
cutting edge
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cutting-edge.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cutting-edge. Accessed 17 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of obdurate

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 17
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
child-detective
Spot the Misspelled Word July 2026 Those little red underlines can't help you now...
See All