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Synonyms

brim

1 American  
[brim] / brɪm /

noun

  1. the upper edge of anything hollow; rim; brink.

    the brim of a cup.

  2. a projecting edge.

    the brim of a hat.

  3. margin.


verb (used without object)

brims, present (3rd person singular) brimmed, past participle, past brimming present participle
  1. to be full to the brim.

verb (used with object)

brims, present (3rd person singular) brimmed, past participle, past brimming present participle
  1. to fill to the brim.

brim 2 American  
[brim] / brɪm /

noun

brim, plural brims plural
  1. Southern U.S. bream.


brim British  
/ brɪm /

noun

  1. the upper rim of a vessel

    the brim of a cup

  2. a projecting rim or edge

    the brim of a hat

  3. the brink or edge of something

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. to fill or be full to the brim

    eyes brimming with tears

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
brim Idioms  

Synonym Usage

See rim.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Nouns

Participles

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

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.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing brim

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:

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

Meanwhile, songs like “Down South” brim with nostalgia for days gone by — in this instance, memories of a hitchhiking jaunt with Harrison.

From Salon May 12, 2026

The result is storage facilities that are full to the brim.

From Barron's Mar. 13, 2026

All three sections brim with short essays on various plant species such as rose, clover, iris, violet, daisy and lily of the valley, which Dior fashioned into silhouettes and blossoming decorative surfaces.

From The Wall Street Journal Nov. 21, 2025

Up I swung and lit in his brim.

From "Secrets at Sea" by Richard Peck

Each frame is meticulously constructed; every beat of the script brims with passion.

From Salon Jun. 22, 2026

Mr. Mikhail’s book brims with details of their lives.

From The Wall Street Journal May 19, 2026

Another reviewer says the film brims with "more rage than it knows what to do with".

From BBC Mar. 24, 2026

The result is a gentle book that brims with wisdom and accessible philosophy.

From The Wall Street Journal Dec. 19, 2025

They too wore dark glasses, their hats were set high upon their heads, the brims turned down.

From "Invisible Man" by Ralph Ellison

And social media brimmed with foreign fans admiring the US way of life.

From Barron's Jul. 7, 2026

The three Graham works I caught brimmed with powerful physicality.

From The Wall Street Journal Jun. 9, 2026

Inside the reunion, the atmosphere brimmed with nostalgia as Romano and the show’s creator, Phil Rosenthal, hosted the live taping from the living room they once brought into millions of households each week.

From Los Angeles Times Nov. 24, 2025

On the outskirts of Nairobi, Kenya's capital, many areas that once brimmed with arabica have been paved over for housing estates or shopping malls.

From Salon Jul. 24, 2024

I hadn’t realized the moisture in my eyes had brimmed over.

From "Twilight" by Stephenie Meyer

But dig deeper, and one will find that Tyler’s discography is brimming with hits that put her unmistakable rasp to thrilling use.

From Salon Jul. 9, 2026

Sharp, fearless and brimming with confidence, Lamine Yamal drifted past defenders with ease and injected life into Spain's attack.

From BBC Jun. 21, 2026

Many of the old tree sitters — white-haired and brimming with stories of Bari — have come out of the woodwork for the latest battle.

From Los Angeles Times May 10, 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

And yes, it was my father, triumphant, laughing, happy, brimming with news of Narrow Squeaks.

From "Homesick" by Jean Fritz

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