fringe
Americannoun
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a decorative border of thread, cord, or the like, usually hanging loosely from a raveled edge or separate strip.
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anything resembling or suggesting this.
a fringe of grass around a swimming pool.
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an outer edge; margin; periphery.
on the fringe of the art world.
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something regarded as peripheral, marginal, secondary, or extreme in relation to something else.
the lunatic fringe of a strong political party.
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Optics. one of the alternate light and dark bands produced by diffraction or interference.
verb (used with object)
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to furnish with or as if with a fringe.
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to serve as a fringe for, or to be arranged around or along so as to suggest a fringe.
armed guards fringing the building.
noun
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an edging consisting of hanging threads, tassels, etc
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an outer edge; periphery
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( as modifier )
fringe dwellers
a fringe area
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(modifier) unofficial; not conventional in form
fringe theatre
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a section of the front hair cut short over the forehead
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an ornamental border or margin
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physics any of the light and dark or coloured bands produced by diffraction or interference of light
verb
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to adorn or fit with a fringe or fringes
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to be a fringe for
fur fringes the satin
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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fringyadjective
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fringelessadjective
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fringelikeadjective
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underfringenoun
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unfringeverb (used with object)
Conjugated Forms
Present
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has fringedperfect 3rd person singular
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have fringedperfect
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is fringingprogressive 3rd person singular
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has been fringingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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are fringingprogressive
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am fringingprogressive 1st person singular
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fringessingular 3rd person
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have been fringingperfect progressive
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fringingparticiple
Past
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had fringedperfect
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had been fringingperfect progressive
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was fringingprogressive singular
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were fringingprogressive plural
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fringedsimple
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fringedparticiple
Future
Etymology
Origin of fringe
1325–75; Middle English frenge < Old French ( French frange ) < Vulgar Latin *frimbia, metathetic variant of Late Latin fimbria, Latin fimbriae fringe
Explanation
If you make cutoffs from jeans, the little white strings around the edges of the legs make a fringe. A fringe is a decorative edge made of hanging strings of fabric. You know how fringe hangs on the edge of fabric and clothing? Think of this picture when you see fringe used metaphorically to mean something that is on the outer boundaries of something else. Many cities hold events called fringe festivals that celebrate art created on the fringe of the established art world. A group of people whose beliefs place them on the outskirts of a social group is called a fringe group. And beware of the lunatic fringe — they are the extremists and fanatics of a social or political movement.
Vocabulary lists containing fringe
The House on Mango Street
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Shear Genius: Hairy Vocabulary
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The One and Only Ivan
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Then Golding wrote, “Softly, surrounded by a fringe of inquisitive bright creatures, itself a silver shape beneath the steadfast constellations, Simon’s dead body moved out towards the open sea.”
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2026
An opinion poll last week showed One Nation, for decades a fringe group led by provocateur Pauline Hanson, had become the country's most popular party.
From Barron's • Jun. 5, 2026
At the time, he was perceived as occupying the party’s far-right fringe.
From Salon • Jun. 2, 2026
Indian pop culture is increasingly becoming decentralised, with some of its most interesting energies now emerging from places once treated as fringe.
From BBC • May 15, 2026
I stood quietly in the doorway in my black sheath and my black stole with the fringe, yellower than ever, but expecting less.
From "The Bell Jar" by Sylvia Plath
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
