fringe
Americannoun
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fringes
plural
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a decorative border of thread, cord, or the like, usually hanging loosely from a raveled edge or separate strip.
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anything resembling or suggesting this.
a fringe of grass around a swimming pool.
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an outer edge; margin; periphery.
on the fringe of the art world.
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something regarded as peripheral, marginal, secondary, or extreme in relation to something else.
the lunatic fringe of a strong political party.
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Optics. one of the alternate light and dark bands produced by diffraction or interference.
verb (used with object)
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fringes,
present (3rd person singular)
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fringed,
past participle, past
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fringing
present participle
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to furnish with or as if with a fringe.
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to serve as a fringe for, or to be arranged around or along so as to suggest a fringe.
armed guards fringing the building.
noun
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an edging consisting of hanging threads, tassels, etc
-
-
an outer edge; periphery
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( as modifier )
fringe dwellers
a fringe area
-
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(modifier) unofficial; not conventional in form
fringe theatre
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a section of the front hair cut short over the forehead
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an ornamental border or margin
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physics any of the light and dark or coloured bands produced by diffraction or interference of light
verb
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to adorn or fit with a fringe or fringes
-
to be a fringe for
fur fringes the satin
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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underfringenoun
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unfringeverb (used with object)
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fringelessadjective
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fringelikeadjective
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fringyadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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fringesimple
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fringessimple
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have fringedperfect
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has fringedperfect
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am fringingprogressive
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are fringingprogressive
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is fringingprogressive
-
have been fringingperfect progressive
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has been fringingperfect progressive
Past
-
fringedsimple
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had fringedperfect
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was fringingprogressive
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were fringingprogressive
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had been fringingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of fringe
1325–75; Middle English frenge < Old French ( French frange ) < Vulgar Latin *frimbia, metathetic variant of Late Latin fimbria, Latin fimbriae fringe
Explanation
If you make cutoffs from jeans, the little white strings around the edges of the legs make a fringe. A fringe is a decorative edge made of hanging strings of fabric. You know how fringe hangs on the edge of fabric and clothing? Think of this picture when you see fringe used metaphorically to mean something that is on the outer boundaries of something else. Many cities hold events called fringe festivals that celebrate art created on the fringe of the established art world. A group of people whose beliefs place them on the outskirts of a social group is called a fringe group. And beware of the lunatic fringe — they are the extremists and fanatics of a social or political movement.
Vocabulary lists containing fringe
The House on Mango Street
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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.
See Examples For:
Spirostomum ambiguum is a giant single-celled ciliate, named for the fringe of hairlike cilia it uses to swim.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 19, 2026
Digital and social media will be a focus of at least 17 fringe events at conference, as the party tries to improve its online communications.
From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026
I think of other fringe sports I love, like cycling.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026
Tensions soared across South Africa after fringe groups campaigning against undocumented migrants set a June 30 deadline for them to leave.
From Barron's ● Sep. 3, 2026
Hesitating under the straggling fringe of palm fronds, he peered into the shop’s interior, which seemed in deep gloom after the blaze of sun in the road.
From "The Golden Goblet" by Eloise Jarvis McGraw
Heder remains interested in stories about outsiders, about class and people generally ignored by or on the fringes of society.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026
Some of these "fringes" measure only slightly more than 20 kilometers across.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 8, 2026
In “Self-Portrait With Necklace,” a string of blue jadestones rests on Kahlo’s bare neck, above the fringes of a lace blouse.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2026
The film arrives at a time when discussions about unidentified aerial phenomena, government transparency and artificial intelligence have moved from the fringes of popular culture into mainstream debate.
From BBC ● Jun. 4, 2026
None of us wore the fringes outside his trousers.
From "The Chosen" by Chaim Potok
Other tour boats skate around the limestone coast fringed with wind-blasted greenery.
From Slate ● Sep. 8, 2026
Woven baskets, checkered blankets, fringed umbrellas and trimmed napkins prove picnic classics never go out of style.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 4, 2026
As the sky darkened over the white stucco church framed in palm trees and the dry peaks of the San Bernardino Mountains, fringed teenagers made their way inside, shaking their limbs and chattering in excitement.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 22, 2026
Boxy tweed boucle jackets with fringed trims and structured brightly coloured handbags were the order of day, with various materials including lace also on display.
From BBC ● Mar. 10, 2026
Then a food truck rambles onto the grounds and dazed-looking teens hop out in bell-bottoms; tie-dye shirts; long, flowing dresses; and fringed ponchos.
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Sat behind a fringing machine at the mill, Hyslop, 28, deftly ran a dark cashmere fabric destined for a Spanish luxury brand through its frame, twisting the ends of the cloth into fringes.
From Barron's ● Feb. 20, 2026
The double-sided style is finished with chunky fringing and, even better, large rectangular pockets.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 20, 2025
The world's largest fringing reef and another of Australia's Unesco World Heritage Sites, it is home to a lush oceanic forest that spreads out along the coast for hundreds of kilometres.
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2025
After 10 days underway from New Zealand, the Araon reached the sea ice fringing Antarctica.
From Science Magazine ● Apr. 18, 2024
Others nestle under trees fringing a river or a lake.
From "Travels with Charley in Search of America" by John Steinbeck
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.
