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
Jenna is clearly pushing herself to the brink of burnout, which is common among people in fight mode.
—
Anne Lackey, Forbes, 30 Sep. 2024
The West and Israel should be mindful over the apparent change in tempo of Iran’s uranium enrichment and be petrified of losing the wider war of non proliferation in a region unable to step back from the brink.
—Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, 28 Sep. 2024
Yet even as a cease-fire deal hangs by a thread and the Middle East is on the brink of a larger conflict, with Israel not sharing its plans with the U.S., the Biden administration continues to support Israel with weapons sales and shipments, officials have said.
—Carol E. Lee, NBC News, 24 Sep. 2024
With the world on the brink of destruction, Edgar and his unlikely companion Tomás – a disgraced and excommunicated priest – embark on a dangerous road trip through a landscape plagued by chaos and despair.
—Leo Barraclough, Variety, 23 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for the brink 
Anne Lackey, Forbes, 30 Sep. 2024
The West and Israel should be mindful over the apparent change in tempo of Iran’s uranium enrichment and be petrified of losing the wider war of non proliferation in a region unable to step back from the brink.
—Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, 28 Sep. 2024
Yet even as a cease-fire deal hangs by a thread and the Middle East is on the brink of a larger conflict, with Israel not sharing its plans with the U.S., the Biden administration continues to support Israel with weapons sales and shipments, officials have said.
—Carol E. Lee, NBC News, 24 Sep. 2024
With the world on the brink of destruction, Edgar and his unlikely companion Tomás – a disgraced and excommunicated priest – embark on a dangerous road trip through a landscape plagued by chaos and despair.
—Leo Barraclough, Variety, 23 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for the brink
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'the brink.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near the brink
Cite this Entry
“The brink.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20brink. Accessed 6 Oct. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share