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
On the brink of elimination from another international tournament.
—
Andy Greder, Twin Cities, 1 Aug. 2025
Once considered a disease-carrying pest and bad omen and threatened by habitat loss, poaching and poisoning the adjutant stork is coming back from the brink of extinction thanks to the Hargila Army.
—Sarah Kingdom, Forbes.com, 31 July 2025
Now on the brink of adulthood, Belly finds herself at a crossroads and must decide which brother has her heart.
—Billie Melissa, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 July 2025
The incubator provides writers who are on the brink of showrunning with exclusive mentorship and real-world training and education.
—Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 31 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for the brink
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Andy Greder, Twin Cities, 1 Aug. 2025
Once considered a disease-carrying pest and bad omen and threatened by habitat loss, poaching and poisoning the adjutant stork is coming back from the brink of extinction thanks to the Hargila Army.
—Sarah Kingdom, Forbes.com, 31 July 2025
Now on the brink of adulthood, Belly finds herself at a crossroads and must decide which brother has her heart.
—Billie Melissa, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 July 2025
The incubator provides writers who are on the brink of showrunning with exclusive mentorship and real-world training and education.
—Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 31 July 2025
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 6 Aug. 2025.
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