Meanings
prepositional phrase
- In a precarious position, with one's resources nearly exhausted.
Our job as social workers is to help families on the edge.
- In a state of excitement due to taking risks.
living on the edge
1 more example
You know, flying a chopper, a helicopter, it's just natural for me. Maybe... just a little exciting? Yes, man. It's great. There's nothing like it. It's on the edge.
1990, “Payback”, in Tour of Duty - with ofWith figurative or temporal proximity to (an event, state of mind, etc.).
on the edge of lunacy
1 more example
The stock market was on the edge of collapse.
Synonyms & antonyms
on the edge of
Also see
Translations
Italian in bilico, sospeso a un filo
- in bilicoin a precarious position
- sospeso a un filoin a precarious position
- sul filo del rasoioin a precarious position
- sul filo del rasoioin a state of excitement due to risk
- sull'orlowith figurative proximity to
Polish na granicy, na krawędzi
- na granicyin a precarious position
- na krawędziin a precarious position
- na skrajuin a precarious position
- na granicyin a state of excitement due to risk
- na krawędziin a state of excitement due to risk
- na skrajuin a state of excitement due to risk
- na granicywith figurative proximity to
- na krawędziwith figurative proximity to
- na skrajuwith figurative proximity to
Portuguese à beira de
- à beira dewith figurative proximity to
Spanish al borde
- al bordewith figurative proximity to
Cite this entry
APA
on the edge. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/on%20the%20edge
MLA
“on the edge.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/on%20the%20edge. Accessed November 5, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “on the edge,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/on%20the%20edge.
Source: on the edge on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.