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brink

/brɪŋk/  ·  say it: BRINK

the edge of something dangerous

In From the Front Page

In more detail

1. (noun) the edge of a cliff, mountain, or steep slope

2. (noun) a critical or dangerous point, usually used in the phrase "on the brink of"; the moment just before something important happens

Examples

• 1. We stood at the brink of the canyon and looked down at the river far below.
• 2. The company was on the brink of bankruptcy before the new investment arrived.

How to use brink

Brink is used for physical edges of precipices but far more commonly in the figurative phrase 'on the brink of' to describe being very close to an undesirable event or major change. It emphasizes the critical, imminent nature of what is about to occur, and often carries a sense of danger or urgency.

Common phrases

• on the brink of
• the brink of collapse
• the brink of disaster
• standing at the brink
• pulled back from the brink

Synonyms

edge · verge · precipice · threshold · lip

Word family

brink (noun)

A common mistake

Learners sometimes use 'brink' without the preposition 'on', saying 'at the brink of' or 'in the brink of' instead of the standard 'on the brink of'.

Nearby in From the Front Page

tumultuous, de-escalation, standoff, flashpoint, upheaval, turmoil

Keep going

How to remember the words you read · Spaced repetition, explained