brinkmanship
noun
brink·man·ship
ˈbriŋk-mən-ˌship 
variants
or less commonly brinksmanship
: 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
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
Among the norm-busting sagas of the president's first term was his nuclear brinkmanship with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un.
—Alexander Smith, NBC News, 21 Jan. 2025
Undermining Bipartisanship In Cybersecurity As demonstrated by the New Orleans attack, there is a pressing need for a sharper focus on combating cyberterrorism and radicalization rather than engaging in political brinkmanship.
—Emil Sayegh, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025
The most impressive thing about Reagan’s apparent turn from brinkmanship to deep disarmament is how little resonance these criticisms found outside the pages of conservative journals such as the National Review.
—Niall Ferguson, Foreign Affairs, 7 Jan. 2025
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Dr. Alex Gold, Forbes, 23 Jan. 2025
Among the norm-busting sagas of the president's first term was his nuclear brinkmanship with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un.
—Alexander Smith, NBC News, 21 Jan. 2025
Undermining Bipartisanship In Cybersecurity As demonstrated by the New Orleans attack, there is a pressing need for a sharper focus on combating cyberterrorism and radicalization rather than engaging in political brinkmanship.
—Emil Sayegh, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025
The most impressive thing about Reagan’s apparent turn from brinkmanship to deep disarmament is how little resonance these criticisms found outside the pages of conservative journals such as the National Review.
—Niall Ferguson, Foreign Affairs, 7 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for brinkmanship
Dictionary Entries Near brinkmanship
Cite this Entry
“Brinkmanship.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brinkmanship. Accessed 3 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
brinkmanship
noun
brink·man·ship
ˈbriŋk-mən-ˌship
: the practice of pushing a dangerous situation to the limit of safety before stopping
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