Edge — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb /ˈej/

Meaning & Definition of Edge

Edge (noun)

  1. the cutting side of a blade
  2. the sharpness of a blade
  3. force, effectiveness

Edge (verb)

  1. to give an edge to
  2. to be on an edge of
  3. to move or force gradually

Edge (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a harsh or sharp quality

    "the teacher's voice had a sarcastic edge as she welcomed the tardy student to class"

    similar: acerbity, acidity, acidness, acridity, acridness, acrimoniousness, acrimony, acuteness, asperity, bite, bitterness, harshness, keenness, poignance, poignancy, pungency, roughness, sharpness, tartness
    related: ginger, punch, spice, tang, raucousness, severeness, severity, shrillness, virulence, vitriol, cattiness, maliciousness, pointedness, thorniness
    opposite: mildness, softness
    near: gentleness, kindliness

  2. the line or relatively narrow space that marks the outer limit of something

    "the design along the edge of the plate is badly worn"

    similar: border, borderline, bound, boundary, brim, circumference, compass, confines, edging, end, frame, fringe, hem, margin, perimeter, periphery, rim, skirt, skirting, verge
    related: ambit, brink, crest, curb, cusp, lip, ceiling, maximum, demarcation, extent, limitation, measure, mere, restriction, termination, borderland, frontier, march, outskirts, pale, selvage, lap, shore
    near: center, core, heart, inner, inside, interior, middle, within

  3. the more favorable condition or position in a competition

    "my big feet give me something of an edge in swimming"

    similar: advantage, better, bulge, catbird seat, drop, high ground, inside track, jump, pull, stead, upper hand, vantage, whip hand, coign of vantage
    related: allowance, head start, lead, leg up, margin, odds, start, ascendancy, command, dominance, mastery, predominance, superiority, supremacy, transcendence, transcendency, precedence, preference, prerogative, privilege, seniority, break, foothold, opportunity, benefit, blessing, boon, felicity, godsend, manna, windfall
    opposite: disadvantage, drawback, handicap, liability, minus, penalty, strike
    near: detriment, stranglehold, disparity, imbalance, inequality, unevenness, disability, failing, impairment, shortcoming, bar, catch, check, clog, crimp, embarrassment, hindrance, hitch, hurdle, impediment, interference, let, manacle, obstacle, obstruction, rub, shackle, stop, trammel, lurch, setback

  4. the power to produce a desired result

    "the utter lack of enforcement provisions totally blunts the edge of the law"

    similar: effectiveness, effectualness, efficaciousness, efficacity, efficacy, efficiency, productiveness
    related: ability, capability, capacity, potency, puissance, strength
    opposite: ineffectiveness, ineffectuality, ineffectualness, inefficiency
    near: inability, inadequacy, inadequateness, incompetence, incompetency

  5. an interval of time just before the onset of something

    "the nation's economy was on the edge of collapse when the Federal Reserve took exceptionally bold action"

    similar: brink, cusp, point, threshold, verge
    related: nick

Edge (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to make sharp or sharper

    "if you edge the tip of that stick, it should be a fine skewer for roasting marshmallows"

    similar: grind, hone, sharpen, stone, strop, whet
    related: file
    opposite: blunt, dull
    near: buff, burnish, gloss, polish, round, smooth

  2. to serve as a border for

    "pavement edging the flower bed"

    similar: border, bound, frame, fringe, margin, rim, skirt
    related: hem, trim, circumscribe, define, delineate, demarcate, outline, silhouette, sketch, trace, circle, compass, encircle, enclose, environ, girdle, girth, loop, ring, round, surround, wall, check, confine, control, curb, limit, restrain, restrict

Related Entry: Edge in (verb)

Edge in is a different word from Edge. The synonyms below are for edge in, not for edge.

  1. to put among or between others

    "although she likes to profess journalistic impartiality when covering a story, she seldom refrains from edging in her personal observations"

    similar: fit (in or into), inject, insert, insinuate, intercalate, interject, interpolate, interpose, intersperse, introduce, sandwich (in or between), work in
    related: cut in, inlay, inset, install, interfile, interline, lard, weave, cram, shove, thrust, wedge, add, append, attach
    near: eject, eliminate, exclude, expel, extract, withdraw, deduct, detach, subtract, reject

Related Entry: Edge (out) (verb)

Edge (out) is a different word from Edge. The synonyms below are for edge (out), not for edge.

  1. as in nose out, pip

    similar: nose out, pip (British), sweep, annihilate, blow away, blow out, bomb, break, bury, clobber, cream, crush, drub, finish, flatten, overwhelm, rout, shellac, skin, slaughter, smoke (slang), snow under, thrash, trounce, upset, wallop, wax (slang), whip, beat, best, conquer, defeat, dispatch, do down (British), get, get around, lick, master, overbear, overcome, overmatch, prevail (over), skunk, stop, subdue, surmount, take, trim, triumph (over), upend, win (against), worst, cap, excel, flourish, score, succeed, knock off, knock over, overpower, overthrow, subjugate, unseat, vanquish, ace (out), better, eclipse, exceed, outdistance, outdo, outfight, outshine, outstrip, overtop, surpass, top, transcend
    opposite: lose (to), fall, give up, go down, go under, collapse, fail, flop, flunk, fold, wash out

Related Entry: Edge cities (noun)

Edge cities is a different word from Edge. The synonyms below are for edge cities, not for edge.

  1. as in central cities, garden cities

    similar: central cities, garden cities, exurbs, suburbias, suburbs, core cities, downtowns, inner cities, midtowns, urban sprawls, conurbations, boroughs, asphalt jungles, burgs, cities, cosmopolises, megacities, megalopolises, metropolises, municipalities, towns

Related Entry: Edge city (noun)

Edge city is a different word from Edge. The synonyms below are for edge city, not for edge.

  1. as in central city, garden city

    similar: central city, garden city, exurb, suburb, suburbia, core city, downtown, inner city, midtown, urban sprawl, conurbation, borough, asphalt jungle, burg, city, cosmopolis, megacity, megalopolis, metropolis, municipality, town

Related Entry: Cutting-edge (adjective)

Cutting-edge is a different word from Edge. The synonyms below are for cutting-edge, not for edge.

  1. being or employing the latest concepts, styles, or techniques

    "his insistent tracking shots and rapid-fire pacing earned him a reputation as a cutting-edge filmmaker"

    similar: advanced, avant, avant-garde, progressive, state-of-the-art
    related: pioneering, revolutionary, trailblazing, alternative, antiestablishment, nontraditional, unconventional, underground, bizarre, far-out, outré, way-out, fresh, new, novel, original, strange, unaccustomed, unfamiliar, unheard-of, unknown, unprecedented, contemporary, current, hot, mod, modern, modernistic, newfangled, new-fashioned, present-day, red-hot, space-age, ultramodern, up-to-date
    near: conventional, customary, established, orthodox, traditional

Related Entry: Cutting edge (noun)

Cutting edge is a different word from Edge. The synonyms below are for cutting edge, not for edge.

  1. the innovators of new concepts, styles, and techniques especially in the arts

    "an urban enclave that has an established reputation for being hospitable to artists who are part of the cutting edge"

    similar: avant-garde, van, vanguard
    related: underground, avant-gardist, forerunner, pioneer, precursor, trailblazer
    near: establishment, old guard

  2. the leading or most important part of a movement

    "a company that has always been on the cutting edge of the new electronic media"

    similar: forefront, front line, leading edge, van, vanguard
    related: spearhead

Related Entry: Leading edge (noun)

Leading edge is a different word from Edge. The synonyms below are for leading edge, not for edge.

  1. the leading or most important part of a movement

    "an activist who is on the leading edge of the fight for equal marriage rights"

    similar: cutting edge, forefront, front line, van, vanguard
    related: spearhead

Related Entry: On edge (phrase)

On edge is a different word from Edge. The synonyms below are for on edge, not for edge.

  1. feeling or showing uncomfortable feelings of uncertainty

    "Ever since the accident, she's been a little on edge when driving."

    similar: aflutter, antsy, anxious, atwitter, dithery, edgy, goosey, het up, hinky (slang), hung up, ill at ease, insecure, jittery, jumpy, keyed up, nervous, nervy, perturbed, queasy, tense, troubled, uneasy, unquiet, upset, uptight, worried, on pins and needles, on tenterhooks
    related: aggrieved, bothered, concerned, disquieted, distraught, distressed, disturbed, freaked, freaked-out, shook-up, apprehensive, foreboding, hesitant, misgiving, fretful, fretting, stewing, vexed, qualmish, qualmy, flustered, twittered, undone, unnerved, unstrung, obsessed, preoccupied, restless, fidgety, flighty, fluttery, high-strung, hypertense, skittish, spooky
    opposite: calm, collected, cool, easy, happy-go-lucky, nerveless, relaxed
    near: confident, self-assured, self-confident, sure, controlled, self-controlled

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Edge

The most common words with a similar meaning to Edge:

acerbity, acidity, acidness, acridity, acridness, acrimoniousness, acrimony, acuteness, asperity, bite, bitterness, harshness, keenness, poignance, poignancy, pungency, roughness, sharpness, tartness, border, borderline, bound, boundary, brim, circumference, compass, confines, edging, end, frame, fringe, hem, margin, perimeter, periphery, rim, skirt, skirting, verge, advantage

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Edge

Words with the opposite meaning of Edge:

mildness, softness, disadvantage, drawback, handicap, liability, minus, penalty, strike, ineffectiveness, ineffectuality, ineffectualness, inefficiency, blunt, dull

Related Words for Edge

ginger, punch, spice, tang, raucousness, severeness, severity, shrillness, virulence, vitriol, cattiness, maliciousness, pointedness, thorniness, ambit, crest, curb, lip, ceiling, maximum, demarcation, extent, limitation, measure, mere, restriction, termination, borderland, frontier, march

Near Antonyms of Edge

gentleness, kindliness, center, core, heart, inner, inside, interior, middle, within, detriment, stranglehold, disparity, imbalance, inequality, unevenness, disability, failing, impairment, shortcoming, bar, catch, check, clog, crimp, embarrassment, hindrance, hitch, hurdle, impediment

Word Forms of Edge

Inflections: edges, edged, edging

Derived words: edgeless (adjective)

Origin & Etymology of Edge

Middle English egge, going back to Old English ecg "cutting side of a blade, border," going back to Germanic *agjō "cutting side of a blade" (whence also Old Frisian eg "cutting side of a blade, sword," Old Saxon eggia, Old High German egga, ekka "cutting side of a blade, border, point, corner," Old Norse egg "cutting side of a blade"), feminine noun derivative from Indo-European *h2eḱ- "sharp, pointed," whence also Latin aciēs "sharp part of a weapon"

First known use: before 12th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Edge

Words & Phrases Containing Edge

edge city, edge effect, edge-grain, edge in, edge tool, edge out, bleeding edge, cutting edge

Frequently Asked Questions about Edge

What does "Edge" mean?

"Edge" means the cutting side of a blade. As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: the cutting side of a blade. It has 7 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Edge"?

Other words for "Edge" include acerbity, acidity, acidness, acridity, acridness, acrimoniousness, acrimony and acuteness. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Edge" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Edge"?

There are 169 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Edge". Common alternatives include acerbity, acidity, acidness, acridity, acridness, acrimoniousness, acrimony, acuteness, asperity and bite.

What is the opposite of "Edge"?

Antonyms of "Edge" include mildness, softness, disadvantage, drawback, handicap, liability, minus and penalty. Near antonyms include gentleness, kindliness, center and core.

How do you use "Edge" in a sentence?

Examples of "Edge" in a sentence: "the teacher's voice had a sarcastic edge as she welcomed the tardy student to class"; "the design along the edge of the plate is badly worn"; "my big feet give me something of an edge in swimming".

Is "Edge" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Edge" can be used as a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Edge" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B1-level word, "Edge" is typical of Cambridge B1 Preliminary (PET), IELTS band 4.0–5.0, TOEFL iBT 42–71, PTE Academic 43–58, TOEIC Listening & Reading 550+.

How do you pronounce "Edge"?

"Edge" is pronounced /ˈej/.