fine line
Americannoun
idioms
Etymology
Origin of fine line
First recorded in 1845–50
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.
There’s a fine line between a grateful patient and an exploited one.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 24, 2026
There is a fine line between being fresh and being undercooked, though.
From BBC ● Jun. 17, 2026
There’s a fine line between lucky and cursed, however, and Pulisic is straddling it.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 7, 2026
Crisis strikes the kitchen when our forgotten, shelved-away ingredients teeter on the fine line between fresh and spoiled.
From Salon ● May 30, 2026
In competition, we always performed the skills we’d practiced and mastered in the gym, because as any gymnast can tell you, there’s a fine line between being courageous and ending up with a major injury.
From "Courage to Soar" by Simone Biles
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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.