brinkmanship

noun

brink·​man·​ship ˈbriŋk-mən-ˌship 

variants or less commonly brinksmanship

ˈbriŋ(k)s-mən-ˌship 

: the art or practice of pushing a dangerous situation or confrontation to the limit of safety especially to force a desired outcome

Examples of brinkmanship in a Sentence

two nations caught up in nuclear brinksmanship

Recent Examples on the Web

Lady Gaga wears a meat dress (2010 VMAs) Lady Gaga's rise to fame turned into a game of fashion brinkmanship, with the ascendant diva constantly topping herself for eccentric style. —Ew Staff, EW.com, 1 Mar. 2025

Compounding the challenge is Russia’s nuclear brinkmanship, which casts a long shadow over international decision-making. —Gyunduz Mamedov, TIME, 24 Feb. 2025

According to Dunlap’s book, a key to improving operating results is to practice brinkmanship with suppliers. —Matt Schifrin, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2025

This political brinkmanship strikes a nerve with Californians, who are acutely aware of their outsized contributions to federal coffers. —Dr. Alex Gold, Forbes, 23 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1956, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for brinkmanship

• authorship
• battleship
• censorship
• chairmanship
• chieftainship
• comradeship
• consulship
• craftsmanship
• dealership
• draftsmanship
• fellowship
• fingertip

Kids Definition

brinkmanship

noun

brink·​man·​ship ˈbriŋk-mən-ˌship 

: the practice of pushing a dangerous situation to the limit of safety before stopping