1
: a sharp wedge of steel or other hard material used as a fulcrum for a lever beam in a precision instrument
2
: a sharp narrow knifelike edge
Examples of knife-edge in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
But Iran are still waiting for their first win of the tournament and their hopes of progressing to the knockout stages against all odds are on a knife-edge.
—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
20 June 2026
It’s made from washable cotton for easy cleaning, and has a crisp knife-edge finish for an even sleeker look.
—
Michelle Baricevic,
PEOPLE,
9 June 2026
Starmer’s premiership is on a knife-edge this week as a significant number of Labour Party MPs have openly mutinied, calling for the PM to resign immediately, or to set out a timetable for his departure.
—
Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
12 May 2026
In simple terms though, as long as the Strait of Hormuz stays closed, markets remain on a knife-edge.
—
Jim Edwards,
Fortune,
11 May 2026
Two warriors gleam in the midst of Indian Combat (1868) and continue their brawl to the death, one knife-edge away from mortality.
—
Tyehimba Jess,
ARTnews.com,
17 Apr. 2026
That knife-edge divide — dry pavement on one side, a downpour on the other — is what made Ford’s footage so startling.
—
Hanna Wickes,
Miami Herald,
16 Apr. 2026
Hansen, the University of Chicago political scientist, said the Republican caucus has held up well over the last year, considering its knife-edge majority.
—
Daniel C. Vock,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Feb. 2026
This is probably mostly right—studios’ appetite for risk keeps shrinking, sequels and reboots are favored over original films, and the days of out-of-control productions dancing on the knife-edge of catastrophe may well be behind us.
—
Michael O’Donnell,
The Atlantic,
10 Feb. 2026
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Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
20 June 2026
It’s made from washable cotton for easy cleaning, and has a crisp knife-edge finish for an even sleeker look.
—
Michelle Baricevic,
PEOPLE,
9 June 2026
Starmer’s premiership is on a knife-edge this week as a significant number of Labour Party MPs have openly mutinied, calling for the PM to resign immediately, or to set out a timetable for his departure.
—
Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
12 May 2026
In simple terms though, as long as the Strait of Hormuz stays closed, markets remain on a knife-edge.
—
Jim Edwards,
Fortune,
11 May 2026
Two warriors gleam in the midst of Indian Combat (1868) and continue their brawl to the death, one knife-edge away from mortality.
—
Tyehimba Jess,
ARTnews.com,
17 Apr. 2026
That knife-edge divide — dry pavement on one side, a downpour on the other — is what made Ford’s footage so startling.
—
Hanna Wickes,
Miami Herald,
16 Apr. 2026
Hansen, the University of Chicago political scientist, said the Republican caucus has held up well over the last year, considering its knife-edge majority.
—
Daniel C. Vock,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Feb. 2026
This is probably mostly right—studios’ appetite for risk keeps shrinking, sequels and reboots are favored over original films, and the days of out-of-control productions dancing on the knife-edge of catastrophe may well be behind us.
—
Michael O’Donnell,
The Atlantic,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Knife-edge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/knife-edge. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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