What Does "on the verge of" Mean?
- The collocation "on the verge of" means very close to experiencing, doing, or becoming something. It suggests a state of being at the threshold of a significant change or event.
- The meaning is semi-idiomatic. While "verge" refers to an edge or border, the expression as a whole carries a figurative meaning of being on the brink of something.
- The register is neutral to slightly formal. It can be used in both written and spoken English, suitable for news reports, academic papers, and everyday conversation.
How to Use It
- Grammatical pattern: prepositional phrase consisting of the preposition "on", the noun "verge", and the preposition "of", followed by a noun, gerund (-ing form of a verb), or pronoun. Commonly used after forms of the verb 'to be' (is, are, was, were).
- Typical objects that follow "on the verge of" include nouns (e.g., tears, despair, madness), gerunds (e.g., panicking, doing that), or pronouns (e.g., it).
- The components of the phrase cannot be separated. The phrase "on the verge of" must remain intact.
- It sounds unnatural to use a different preposition (e.g., "at the verge of"), a different noun (e.g., "on the edge of" when meaning something is imminent), or to omit the preposition "of".
Real-World Examples
These examples are sourced from on the verge of on Ludwig.guru.
"More than one person was on the verge of tears." — The New Yorker
"It's on the verge of insanity." — The New Yorker
"Arthur seemed on the verge of resurrection." — The New York Times
"She was on the verge of suicide." — The New York Times - Health
"Sotomayor is on the verge of confirmation." — The New Yorker
Examples sourced from https://ludwig.guru/s/on+the+verge+of
Similar Phrases and Alternatives
| Phrase |
Context |
| about to |
Indicates immediate future action; less formal. |
| on the brink of |
Very similar in meaning; often used interchangeably. |
| close to |
More general expression indicating proximity, not necessarily a threshold. |
| nearing |
Implies a process of approaching something, rather than being at the edge. |
| approaching |
Similar to 'nearing,' suggesting movement towards a state or event. |
| on the threshold of |
More formal and literary alternative, emphasizing a new beginning. |
| in danger of |
Specifically implies a negative outcome that is likely to occur. |
Common Mistakes
- Learners often confuse it with similar expressions like 'on the edge of' which has a more literal, spatial meaning, or misuse the preposition, e.g., 'on verge to'.
- Using the wrong preposition, such as saying "on verge to" instead of "on the verge of", is a common error. The correct phrase always includes "the" and "of".
- Replacing "verge" with a synonym like "edge" when the intended meaning is about an imminent state, not a physical location, can sound unnatural.
Quick-Reference Summary
| Expression |
Meaning |
Grammatical Pattern |
Register |
| on the verge of |
Very close to experiencing or doing something |
Prepositional phrase + noun/gerund/pronoun |
Neutral to slightly formal |
FAQs
Can the words in "on the verge of" be separated, or do they always have to stay together?
The phrase "on the verge of" is a fixed expression and should not be separated. The words must stay together to maintain the correct meaning and grammatical structure. For example, it's incorrect to say "She was on the something of tears; she was on the verge of tears."
How is "on the verge of" different from "on the edge of"?
While both phrases imply proximity, "on the verge of" refers to being close to a state or event, while "on the edge of" often has a more literal, spatial meaning. For example, you might be on the verge of a breakthrough, but on the edge of a cliff. The former suggests an imminent change, the latter a physical boundary.
What's the correct preposition to use with "verge" in this expression?
The correct preposition to use is "of". It's a common mistake to say "on the verge to" or "on verge of." The full, correct expression is always "on the verge of", followed by a noun, gerund, or pronoun.