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

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

fine line

But there’s a fine line between being careful and being hidden.

From Slate ● Aug. 6, 2026

House Republican Leader John Boehner tried to walk a fine line.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026

Sonnenshine and the “Little House” writers walk a fine line between the harsher recent revelations concerning the ways Ingalls’ bootstrapping mythology in the books doesn’t square with history or reality.

From Salon ● Jul. 11, 2026

There’s a fine line between lucky and cursed, however, and Pulisic is straddling it.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 7, 2026

“Good. It didn’t. Never fool yourself into perceiving things that don’t exist. It’s a fine line to walk, but sympathy is not an art for the weak willed.”

From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss