on the edge of
idiom
: very close to (something)
a species on the edge of extinction
The company was teetering on the edge of disaster/bankruptcy.
He was on the edge of saying something when the phone rang.
Examples of on the edge of in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The crew of at least a dozen people were on the edge of their seats the whole show, spreading a sense of suspense, joy and anticipation throughout the telecast.
—
Cerys Davies, Los Angeles Times, 3 Mar. 2025
Nothing tells the rest of the league the Panthers will be the toughest out of all again than making a move like this on the edge of the NHL trade deadline.
—Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 2 Mar. 2025
In Adham Saleh’s childhood memory, the wetlands on the edge of this coastal city look like a postcard.
—Raad Al-Remi, The Christian Science Monitor, 26 Feb. 2025
And perhaps viral rap beef that teeters on the edge of going too far is the new language of our era.
—Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 25 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for on the edge of
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.
Cerys Davies, Los Angeles Times, 3 Mar. 2025
Nothing tells the rest of the league the Panthers will be the toughest out of all again than making a move like this on the edge of the NHL trade deadline.
—Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 2 Mar. 2025
In Adham Saleh’s childhood memory, the wetlands on the edge of this coastal city look like a postcard.
—Raad Al-Remi, The Christian Science Monitor, 26 Feb. 2025
And perhaps viral rap beef that teeters on the edge of going too far is the new language of our era.
—Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 25 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for on the edge of
Cite this Entry
“On the edge of.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/on%20the%20edge%20of. Accessed 10 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share