brinknoun [ S ]
uk/brɪŋk/us/brɪŋk/C2 the point where a new or different situation is about to begin:
Extreme stress had driven him to the brink of a nervous breakdown.
Scientists are on the brink of (= extremely close to) a major new discovery.
literary the edge of a cliff or other high area:
She was standing right on the brink of the gorge.
More examples
- These countries are on the brink of a disastrous famine.
- Many companies are on the brink of ruin.
- Negotiations between the two countries are on the brink of collapse.
- What we are seeing now is a country teetering on the brink of civil war.
- Not long ago the river otter was on the brink of extinction.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Turning points & deciding moments
- be at a crossroads idiom
- boiling point
- breakthrough
- climax
- coming of age
- crossroads
- crunch
- edge
- if/when it comes to the crunch idiom
- landmark
- make-or-break
- milestone
- moment
- road
- road to Damascus idiom
- the moment of truth idiom
- turning point
- U-turn
- volte-face
See more results »
You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Edges & extremities of objects