fine line

American  

[fahyn lahyn] / ˈfaɪn ˈlaɪn /

noun

1. a small, barely perceptible difference.

   There's often a fine line between helping and interfering.

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idioms

1. walk a fine line,

   1. to act carefully in order to avoid the wrong outcome or maintain a delicate balance.

      Moderators walk a fine line between censorship and protecting their site's users.

      I had to walk a fine line between maintaining the peace and doing my job.

   2. to act in a way that risks a disastrous outcome.

      You’re walking a fine line, buddy—if you don’t start watching your mouth, you’ll lose the respect of your kids.

Etymology

Origin of fine line

First recorded in 1845–50

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

fine line

So how do you walk that fine line?

From Slate ● Sep. 23, 2026

It’s a fine line because, yes, you may have good reason to be on alert if you hear more stories of your mother giving a neighbor thousands of dollars for doing a relatively menial job.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 22, 2026

With AI, they are still walking that fine line.

From Barron's ● Sep. 15, 2026

“There is a fine line between knowing history and planting seeds of fear in young students.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026

One of the first things I learned in the hood is that there is a very fine line between civilian and criminal.

From "Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood" by Trevor Noah

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