on the edge
Idioms-
In a precarious position; also, in a state of keen excitement, as from danger or risk. For example, When the stock market crashed, their whole future was on the edge , or Skydivers obviously must enjoy living on the edge .
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on the edge of . On the point of doing something, as in He was on the edge of winning the election when the sex scandal broke . [c. 1600] Both def. 1 and 2 allude to the danger of falling over the edge of a precipice.
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.
Garrett, 30, plays on the edge and in nine seasons with the Cleveland Browns produced 125.5 sacks, including a record 23 last season.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 30, 2026
Rather, it’s a modest three-bedroom house on the edge of the Echo Mountain forest in Oregon, where Keller took care of her mother and disabled older brother until the end of their lives.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 25, 2026
No one in Kalia’s extended founder network has considered taking time off or expressed concerns about burnout, though he sees many seemingly teetering on the edge.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 22, 2026
"Every Antarctic mission demands absolute precision, but winter operations raise the complexity significantly," he said "The conditions we encountered were right on the edge of even the most specialised aircraft capability."
From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2026
He sat on the edge of the bed, suddenly much more tired than he had been the moment before.
From "Boy 2.0" by Tracey Baptiste
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.
