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
Five years ago, the restaurant was saved from the brink of bankruptcy and closure by Stone and Parker, the team who created South Park and the Broadway show Book of Mormon.
—
Vanessa Yurkevich,
CNN Money,
5 July 2026
The aftermath has left medics worried that the fallout could pave the way for a widening medical crisis of untreated injuries and infectious diseases in a healthcare system already on the brink.
—
Regina Garcia Cano,
Los Angeles Times,
2 July 2026
Among the biggest beneficiaries have been puffins, whose population has grown from just 13 birds in 2000 to 1,335 in 2026 after teetering on the brink of local extinction.
—
Moná Thomas,
PEOPLE,
2 July 2026
On the brink of victory, Perry was out on 56 to give Charani her tournament-leading 14th wicket.
—
ABC News,
28 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for the brink
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Vanessa Yurkevich,
CNN Money,
5 July 2026
The aftermath has left medics worried that the fallout could pave the way for a widening medical crisis of untreated injuries and infectious diseases in a healthcare system already on the brink.
—
Regina Garcia Cano,
Los Angeles Times,
2 July 2026
Among the biggest beneficiaries have been puffins, whose population has grown from just 13 birds in 2000 to 1,335 in 2026 after teetering on the brink of local extinction.
—
Moná Thomas,
PEOPLE,
2 July 2026
On the brink of victory, Perry was out on 56 to give Charani her tournament-leading 14th wicket.
—
ABC News,
28 June 2026
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 7 Jul. 2026.
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