cutting-edge 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of cutting-edgenext
as in advanced
being or employing the latest concepts, styles, or techniques his insistent tracking shots and rapid-fire pacing earned him a reputation as a cutting-edge filmmaker

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

cutting edge

2 of 2

noun

1
as in vanguard
the innovators of new concepts, styles, and techniques especially in the arts an urban enclave that has an established reputation for being hospitable to artists who are part of the cutting edge

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in forefront
the leading or most important part of a movement a company that has always been on the cutting edge of the new electronic media

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of cutting-edge
Adjective
The hall will feature a sleek, modern, glass exterior; interior space for 1,174 beds; and a makerspace lab that will allow students to engage with cutting-edge technology. — Florida International University, Miami Herald, 1 July 2026 Today, the nation spends billions to screen entrants using cutting-edge biometric tools, and thousands of Customs and Border Protection officers are stationed at every international airport and port of entry in the country. — Amanda Frost, The Atlantic, 2 July 2026
Noun
To be sure, Google’s AI computing ambitions face plenty of competition, and investment in innovation is required to stay on the cutting edge. — Paulina Likos, CNBC, 27 June 2026 Joe Prince-Wright breaks down England's win over Panama to secure first place in Group L with Jude Bellingham providing the cutting edge to beat a sticky Panama side and showed what his impact can be moving forward. — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 28 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for cutting-edge
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cutting-edge
  1. advanced
  2. vanguard
  3. forefront
  4. progressive
  5. underground
  6. leading edge
  7. pioneering
  8. pioneer
Adjective
  • Othram, based in The Woodlands, Texas, specializes in advanced DNA testing and forensic genetic genealogy, a method that can help investigators identify suspects or unknown victims when traditional law enforcement databases do not produce a match.
    — Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 5 July 2026
  • Against this backdrop, investor confidence in JCET has surged, with the company’s shares listed in Shanghai climbing 147 percent since the start of the year, driven by strong business growth and rising demand for advanced chip technologies.
    — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 4 July 2026
Definition of advanced
Noun
  • Columbia waded into the rock vanguard after Davis attended the Monterey International Pop Festival in June 1967 at the behest of its organizer Lou Adler, whose Ode Records was distributed by CBS.
    — Chris Morris, Variety, 22 June 2026
  • Linklater was a vanguard of the indie film movement of the 1990s.
    — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 18 June 2026
Definition of vanguard
Noun
  • For one official in Los Angeles County, the threat of a fire was at the forefront.
    — Paris Barraza, USA Today, 1 July 2026
  • French oak contributes richness without overwhelming the fruit, allowing citrus, stone fruit and fresh acidity to remain at the forefront.
    — Emily Price, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
Definition of forefront
Adjective
  • According to the report, the boy first developed progressive facial numbness and tingling on the right side of his face, followed by loss of appetite, painful swallowing and vomiting.
    — Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 2 July 2026
  • But its original progressive elements have not only lasted, but become the law of the entire land — from sea to shining sea.
    — Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026
Definition of progressive
Noun
  • For the past half-decade, evilgiane and his Surf Gang collective have had their hands all over the quirkiest and most effervescent sounds of rap’s underground and mainstream.
    — Oba Awolowo, Pitchfork, 3 July 2026
  • Taking the dance sensation out of New York's gay underground and on the road, the singer vogued her way around the world on her 1990 Blond Ambition Tour, which kicked off in Japan that April.
    — Cara Lynn Shultz, PEOPLE, 29 June 2026
Definition of underground
Noun
  • By this point, the city had become the leading edge of a national issue.
    — Joaquin Sapien, ProPublica, 30 June 2026
  • The leading edge of the plume is expected to reach the western Gulf Coast first, with early impacts along the Texas shoreline before spreading east toward Louisiana and other Gulf states.
    — Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 26 June 2026
Definition of leading edge
Adjective
  • From the earliest pioneering expeditions and nighttime escapes from bondage to the modern-day road trip, Americans are a people on the move – restless, ambitious and innovative.
    — Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 4 July 2026
  • This new adaptation promises to bring the pioneering adventures of the Ingalls family to a new generation, and has already been renewed for a second season.
    — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 3 July 2026
Definition of pioneering
Noun
  • As a kid, Grant was an Eagle scout, and essentially built a historical trail after discovering pioneer grave sites.
    — Sam McDowell July 1, Kansas City Star, 1 July 2026
  • The pioneer of the world’s largest Bitcoin asset treasury attended the president’s first crypto summit at the White House in March 2025.
    — Camila Grigera Naón, Fortune, 1 July 2026
Definition of pioneer

Browse Nearby Words

cutting (down)
cutting-edge
cutting edge
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Cite this Entry

“Cutting-edge.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cutting-edge. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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