Phrase guide

on the brink of

prep · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ɒn ðə brɪŋk əv/

1

prep

Meaning 1

Very near, imminently approaching; ready to, about to.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • on the brink of extinction
  • The old building seemed to be on the brink of collapse.
  • teetering on the brink of bankruptcy

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

18 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: на прага на (na praga na) — very near to
  • Czech: na pokraji — very near to
  • Czech: na hraně — very near to
  • Danish: på vippen — very near to
  • Finnish: partaalla — very near to
  • French: au bord de — very near to
  • Galician: á beira de — very near to
  • Galician: a pique de — very near to
  • Greek: στο χείλος (sto cheílos) — very near to
  • Ingrian: rajal — very near to
  • Latin: futurus sum — very near to
  • Polish: na krawędzi — very near to
  • Polish: na skraju — very near to
  • Portuguese: à beira de — very near to
  • Russian: на гра́ни (na gráni) — very near to
  • Spanish: a borde de — very near to
  • Spanish: al borde de — very near to
  • Spanish: a punto de — very near to