1 B2 idiomatic neutral
To defeat a competitor or opponent by a very small margin.
"The home team edged out the visitors with a goal in the final minute of extra time."
separable
edge out
B2 neutral separable transitive
To defeat or displace someone or something by a very small margin.
In plain English
To just barely beat someone in a competition, or to slowly push someone out of a position.
What does "edge out" mean?
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic neutral
To gradually replace or displace someone or something from a position.
"Streaming services have slowly edged out traditional video rental stores."
separable
3 B2 neutral
To move slowly and carefully to the outside or away from a position.
"The nervous driver edged out into the busy road and waited for a gap in traffic."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To move something out slowly along the edge — a very slight nudge outward.
Actually means
To just barely beat someone in a competition, or to slowly push someone out of a position.
Usage tip
Very common in sports reporting and business journalism. Often used to describe a narrow competitive victory or a gradual displacement of a product, person, or competitor. Works well in both formal and informal contexts.
Words that pair with "edge out"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
rival competitor opponent market candidate record
How to conjugate "edge out"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
edge out
I/you/we/they
3rd person
edges out
he/she/it
Past simple
edged out
yesterday
Past participle
edged out
have + pp
-ing form
edging out
continuous
Hear "edge out" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "edge out" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
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