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
plural
brim,plural
brimsnoun
-
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
Related Words
See rim.
Other Word Forms
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
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"The Crucible" -- Vocabulary from Act 2
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"Birches" by Robert Frost
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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.
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
The salads brim with color and vibrancy, inviting us to rethink how we nourish our bodies when we’re hit with cold weather.
From Salon • Feb. 7, 2026
She told the BBC that the airport had been "packed to the brim" before it was announced that no flights had been able to arrive or leave on Monday morning.
From BBC • Jan. 5, 2026
Pour this tea over glasses that have been filled to the brim with ice.
From Each Little Bird That Sings by Deborah Wiles
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.
