the brink
noun
: the edge at the top of a steep cliff
—usually used figuratively to refer to a point that is very close to the occurrence of something very bad or (less commonly) very good
He nearly lost everything because of his drug addiction, but his friends helped to pull him back from the brink.
The two nations are on the brink of war.
Doctors may be on the brink of finding a cure for this disease.
an animal that has been brought/pulled back from the brink of extinction
Examples of the brink in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Several months later, their 1-0 win over Burnley, thanks to another goal from a Saka corner, put them on the brink of becoming champions.
—
Michael Cox, New York Times, 25 May 2026
Without Thibodeau, the Knicks would not be here, on the brink of franchise history, today.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 25 May 2026
Sherritt’s move spelled serious trouble for an economy already on the brink.
—Vivian Salama, The Atlantic, 24 May 2026
The Avs are on the brink on the rink.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 23 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for the brink
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.
Michael Cox, New York Times, 25 May 2026
Without Thibodeau, the Knicks would not be here, on the brink of franchise history, today.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 25 May 2026
Sherritt’s move spelled serious trouble for an economy already on the brink.
—Vivian Salama, The Atlantic, 24 May 2026
The Avs are on the brink on the rink.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 23 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for the brink
Cite this Entry
“The brink.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20brink. Accessed 26 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
