fringe
Americannoun
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fringes
plural
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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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fringes,
present (3rd person singular)
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fringed,
past participle, past
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fringing
present participle
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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
-
-
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
-
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
-
to be a fringe for
fur fringes the satin
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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underfringenoun
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unfringeverb (used with object)
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fringelessadjective
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fringelikeadjective
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fringyadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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fringesimple
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fringessimple
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have fringedperfect
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has fringedperfect
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am fringingprogressive
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are fringingprogressive
-
is fringingprogressive
-
have been fringingperfect progressive
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has been fringingperfect progressive
Past
-
fringedsimple
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had fringedperfect
-
was fringingprogressive
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were fringingprogressive
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had been fringingperfect progressive
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
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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.
See Examples For:
In the space of a few days, Wright went from being a fringe member of one of the NFL’s worst teams to a key component of one of college football’s best.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026
Those on the practice squad are typically fringe NFL players, who may not make an active roster in their career.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 19, 2026
"It's a bit ridiculous," party campaigner Jane Embelton told AFP of the long list of fringe candidates running.
From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026
Chainlink necklaces, lace headpieces and even fringe bangs become a form of armor.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026
By the time he reached the fringe of the wood, the sun had risen, and was coming faintly through the mist.
From "I'm the King of the Castle" by Susan Hill
Some of these "fringes" measure only slightly more than 20 kilometers across.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 8, 2026
His BBC documentary series sees him travel to the world's most dangerous places, interviewing young men who live on the fringes of society.
From BBC ● Jun. 17, 2026
Each personal history is sketched with a revealing touch: Robbie, returned from war, had “loitered, not entirely fruitlessly, on the fringes of the London literary world, until coming to Honor via a family connection.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 15, 2026
Some of the nation’s priciest real estate often means growth gets pushed out to metro Boston’s fringes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 14, 2026
Staying on the fringes of things seemed the wisest choice for the moment.
From "Boy 2.0" by Tracey Baptiste
Woven baskets, checkered blankets, fringed umbrellas and trimmed napkins prove picnic classics never go out of style.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 4, 2026
"History will hold them accountable," says the commander, who has a handle-bar moustache and wears a green fringed scarf around his neck.
From BBC ● Jan. 29, 2026
Carrying loved ones and a handful of quickly snatched belongings, families trekked along narrow paths slick with mud and fringed by dense greenery, heading to relative safety.
From Barron's ● Oct. 28, 2025
The modest white stucco building was fringed with dead grass.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 12, 2025
Her eyes are like Stella’s, black and long-lashed, bottomless lakes fringed by tall grass.
From "The One and Only Ivan" by Katherine Applegate
Sat behind a fringing machine at the mill, Hyslop, 28, deftly ran a dark cashmere fabric destined for a Spanish luxury brand through its frame, twisting the ends of the cloth into fringes.
From Barron's ● Feb. 20, 2026
The double-sided style is finished with chunky fringing and, even better, large rectangular pockets.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 20, 2025
The world's largest fringing reef and another of Australia's Unesco World Heritage Sites, it is home to a lush oceanic forest that spreads out along the coast for hundreds of kilometres.
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2025
After 10 days underway from New Zealand, the Araon reached the sea ice fringing Antarctica.
From Science Magazine ● Apr. 18, 2024
Halfway over the still misty fields he stopped to load his gun, then walked quietly toward the cover of the alders fringing the little lake.
From "The Incredible Journey" by Sheila Burnford
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.
