brink

Meanings

1. 1nounsingular

   The moment just before a major, often dangerous, change or event.

   Grammar: Usually in on the brink of: on the brink of war.

   Patterns

   • on the brink of something
   • bring someone to the brink

   The company was on the brink of collapse.

   Scientists believed they were on the brink of a breakthrough.

   The two nations stood at the brink of war.

2. 2nounsingular

   The edge of a steep place such as a cliff or deep hole.

   Grammar: Literal use, followed by of: the brink of the cliff.

   Patterns

   • the brink of something

   She stood at the brink of the canyon and looked down.

   The hikers stopped well back from the brink.

   A fence marks the brink of the quarry.

Common combinations

on the brink of

The team was on the brink of winning the title.

brink of collapse

The bank was pushed to the brink of collapse.

brink of disaster

The crew steered clear of the brink of disaster.

pull back from the brink

Leaders pulled the country back from the brink.

teeter on the brink

The old bridge teeters on the brink of failure.

Synonyms and how they differ

verge

Verge is very close in meaning and slightly more neutral, as in on the verge of tears.

edge

Edge is the everyday word for the outer limit of something, and is used literally more than figuratively.

threshold

Threshold suggests the start of something new, often positive, while brink often warns of danger.

cusp

Cusp is more literary and suggests a point of change between two states.

Word family

brinkmanship noun

the policy of pushing a dangerous situation to the edge to win an advantage

brinksmanship noun

a variant spelling of brinkmanship

Commonly confused: brink or verge?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “brink”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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