Meaning & use
fringe
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Meanings
nouncountable
The outer edge of an area, or the less central, less accepted part of a group or activity.
Grammar: Often plural or with of: the fringes of the city, on the fringe of society.
Patterns
- on the fringe of something
- the fringes of something
They live on the fringe of town, where the streets give way to farmland.
Her ideas were once on the fringe, but now many scientists share them.
Small parties on the political fringe rarely win seats.
nouncountable or uncountable
A decorative edge made of hanging threads, cords, or strips on cloth, clothing, or a lamp shade.
Grammar: Singular for the trim as a whole; uncountable when talking about material: a jacket with fringe.
Patterns
- fringe on something
- a fringe of something
The scarf had a long fringe that swayed as she walked.
He tied the loose fringe of the rug back into place.
Suede jackets with leather fringe were popular in the seventies.
nouncountableBritish
Hair cut short and straight across the forehead; known in American English as bangs.
Grammar: Singular in British English: she cut her fringe.
Patterns
- cut a fringe
- have a fringe
She trimmed her fringe herself and regretted it.
A heavy fringe kept falling into his eyes.
My sister is growing out her fringe.
adjectivebefore a noun
Not part of the mainstream; on the edge of what most people accept or do.
Grammar: Always placed before the noun it describes: a fringe group.
Patterns
- a fringe group
- fringe theory
The article described a fringe group with unusual beliefs.
Fringe theater often tests ideas too risky for big stages.
He was dismissed as a fringe candidate with no real chance.
Word forms
| plural | fringes |
|---|
Common combinations
- on the fringe(s) of
- The village sits on the fringes of the national park.
- fringe benefit
- A free gym pass is a nice fringe benefit of the job.
- lunatic fringe
- The campaign tried to distance itself from the lunatic fringe.
- fringe festival
- We saw a hilarious show at the fringe festival.
- cut a fringe
- She decided to cut a fringe for the summer.
Synonyms and how they differ
- edge
- Edge is a neutral word for the outer limit of anything, while fringe often hints at being marginal or less important.
- periphery
- Periphery is more formal and technical, used for outer areas of cities or networks.
- margin
- Margin often means a border of a page or a small allowance, and for society it stresses being pushed aside.
- bangs
- Bangs is the American word for hair across the forehead, which British speakers call a fringe.
Opposites
Word family
- fringed adjective
- having a decorative fringe
- fringe benefit noun
- an extra perk beyond salary
- fringing adjective
- forming a border, as in fringing reef
Commonly confused: fringe or fridge?
fringe vs fridge
Fridge is short for refrigerator and has nothing to do with fringe, though they can be misheard.
Practice
In British English, which word means hair cut straight across the forehead?
Choose one answer.
British speakers say fringe. Bangs is the American term, so it is a tempting but regionally wrong answer.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “fringe”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.