brim
1 Americannoun
-
the upper edge of anything hollow; rim; brink.
the brim of a cup.
-
a projecting edge.
the brim of a hat.
verb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
noun
noun
-
the upper rim of a vessel
the brim of a cup
-
a projecting rim or edge
the brim of a hat
-
the brink or edge of something
verb
Synonym Usage
See rim.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
brimsimple
-
brimssimple
-
have brimmedperfect
-
has brimmedperfect
-
am brimmingprogressive
-
are brimmingprogressive
-
is brimmingprogressive
-
have been brimmingperfect progressive
-
has been brimmingperfect progressive
Past
-
brimmedsimple
-
had brimmedperfect
-
was brimmingprogressive
-
were brimmingprogressive
-
had been brimmingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of brim
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English brimme “brink, rim” (earlier, “shore, bank”); apparently akin to Middle High German brem, ( German Bräme ), Old Norse barmr “rim, edge”
Explanation
The brim is the top of a container, like the edge of a cup. Also, if a cup is brimming, it’s full. This word has a couple meanings related to fullness. If a cup is full, it’s filled to the brim. The brim is the top. Containers such as buckets and pitchers have brims too. Also, the bucket is brimming if it's totally full. A brimming container is likely to spill. People can brim too: you can be brimming with enthusiasm or happiness. Like a cup about to spill, you can’t quite contain yourself when you’re brimming with joy.
Vocabulary lists containing brim
"The Crucible" -- Vocabulary from all 4 Acts
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"The Crucible" -- Vocabulary from Act 2
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"Birches" by Robert Frost
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
“The head got banged up a little bit,” Muncy said after the game, a cut on the brim of his nose still visible.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 5, 2026
Leinster, a side full to the brim of Irish internationals, did not have an answer as Bordeaux romped to a 41-19 victory in Bilbao to become only the sixth side to retain their European crown.
From BBC ● May 23, 2026
Filling the stockpile to the brim will cost around $20 billion according to Energy Secretary Chris Wright.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 14, 2026
The result is storage facilities that are full to the brim.
From Barron's ● Mar. 13, 2026
I adjusted the brim of my cap, my lingering anxiety giving way to a slight discomfort at being out here in the open where anyone could see us.
From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros
If school uniform rules are relaxed, children should wear loose, light-coloured clothing where possible and sunhats with wide brims.
From BBC ● Jun. 22, 2026
Mr. Elliott’s narrative brims with enthusiasm for its subject.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 19, 2026
The result is a gentle book that brims with wisdom and accessible philosophy.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 19, 2025
But by the time the dialogue-free, centerpiece underwater sequence brims with Max Aruj and Alfie Godfrey’s droning score, popcorn shuffling stopped.
From Salon ● May 24, 2025
They beat the brims of their hats against their legs before putting diem on and trudged down the road like old promises nobody wanted kept.
From "Sula" by Toni Morrison
And social media brimmed with foreign fans admiring the US way of life.
From Barron's ● Jul. 7, 2026
Our plates brimmed with color — yellow, green, red and orange — unlike the gloom outside.
From Salon ● Jun. 7, 2026
Everything about the production embraced simplicity and sincerity, and the result was an ultimately sad and strange tale that nevertheless brimmed with unforced warmth.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2025
The lounge at Hollywood Boulevard’s storied Bourbon Room brimmed with pre-holiday spirit the Thursday before Thanksgiving.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 21, 2024
Despite its poverty, Sophiatown brimmed with a rich life and was an incubator of so much that was new and valuable in African life and culture.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
Leaning on a burlap bag brimming with gum arabic, Ahmad pointed to a map on a journalist’s phone to show the circuitous path he took to get here.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 31, 2026
Most of the questions and answers were about training and diet, the preparation required to make a film brimming with sheer, unadulterated masculinity.
From Salon ● May 27, 2026
The first quarter is peak for the gym industry, as potential new members are brimming with fitness-focused New Year’s resolutions.
From MarketWatch ● May 8, 2026
"Fresh snow on the mountains, autumn colours along the shoreline and even some amazing wildlife," Rosmarin, his voice brimming with excitement, told followers in a video posted several weeks ago.
From BBC ● May 5, 2026
This realization began to simmer inside him, slowly at first, but then faster and fiercer, until he was hot and brimming with it.
From "The Reader" by Traci Chee
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.
