edge out

edge out — phrasal verb

  • edge outbase form
  • edges out3rd person singular
  • edging out-ing form
  • edged outpast simple

1. to win against a competitor with only a very small difference in points, votes,

1.片語動詞及物B2
釋義

to win against a competitor with only a very small difference in points, votes, or overall performance — for example, winning an election by a few hundred votes or finishing ahead of another athlete by a fraction of a second.

例句

Sivan edged out her closest rival by just two points in the final race.

edge out + [person] + by + [margin]

The incumbent party was edged out by less than one percent of the vote.

同義詞
  • narrowly defeat

    more formal and neutral; states the margin directly

  • pip

    informal, mainly British; suggests winning at the last moment

  • nose out

    suggests winning by the slightest possible margin, like a horse race

反義詞

文法句型

edge out + [competitor]

be edged out by [margin]

用法筆記

Common in sports, elections, and competitions where the margin of victory is very small. Frequently used in the passive form to focus on the loser (be edged out).

常見錯誤

❌She edged out winning by 10 points.
✅She edged out her opponent by 10 points.
💡'edge out' requires a direct object (the person or team being beaten), not a score alone.
❌They edged out a narrow loss.
✅They were edged out by a narrow margin.
💡Use the passive form when the subject is the loser.

2. to gain greater popularity or success than another person or organization little

2.片語動詞及物B2
釋義

to gain greater popularity or success than another person or organization little by little, without a single decisive event — for example, a new streaming platform becoming more popular than cable TV over several years.

例句

Streaming services have gradually edged out traditional movie theaters among younger audiences.

edge out + [traditional competitor]

Greta's small coffee shop edged out two larger chains in the neighborhood within a year.

同義詞
  • overtake

    more neutral and literal; focuses on the moment of passing

  • surpass

    emphasises achievement or quality, not necessarily market share

  • outstrip

    suggests a rapid or accelerating difference; more dynamic

反義詞

文法句型

edge out + [older thing/competitor]

be edged out by [newer thing]

用法筆記

Unlike sense 1, this sense does not refer to a specific contest or event — the surpassing happens over time, often as consumer preferences shift. The subject is usually a product, service, or technology rather than a person competing in a match.

3. to deliberately force someone out of a position or role through dishonest or man

3.片語動詞及物C1
釋義

to deliberately force someone out of a position or role through dishonest or manipulative tactics — such as spreading false rumours, withholding key information, or secretly undermining their authority — rather than through a fair or open process.

例句

Iris claimed that a younger colleague had edged her out of the department head role.

edge [someone] out of [position/role]

Daria was edged out of the editorial team after her supervisor began giving her the least important stories and leaving her out of key planning meetings.

edge [someone] out of [team] by [unfair actions]

同義詞
  • oust

    more direct and forceful; often implies official removal

  • push out

    less formal; suggests persistent pressure over time

  • sideline

    to make someone less important without fully removing them

反義詞
  • include

    to bring someone into a position or process

  • bring in

    to deliberately involve someone

文法句型

edge + [person] + out of [position/situation]

be edged out of [role]

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 1: sense 1 refers to a fair competition won by a small margin, while sense 3 involves dishonest or manipulative tactics. Distinguish from sense 4: sense 4 describes displacement through normal organisational changes (restructuring, mergers) without any dishonest act, whereas sense 3 specifically involves intentional scheming, deception, or sabotage.

4. to gradually make someone lose their job, role, or position of power through nor

4.片語動詞及物C1
釋義

to gradually make someone lose their job, role, or position of power through normal organisational changes — such as restructuring, reassigning responsibilities, or shifting resources — rather than through any single decisive event, dishonest act, or direct confrontation.

例句

The old manager was slowly edged out after the company was taken over.

passive: be slowly edged out after [event]

Rin worried that the new team leader was edging her out of her position.

同義詞
  • displace

    neutral; focuses on one thing taking another's place

  • replace

    implies a deliberate substitution

  • push out

    informal; suggests active effort to remove someone

反義詞
  • retain

    to keep someone in their position

  • keep on

    to continue employing someone

文法句型

edge + [person] + out of [job/position]

be edged out of [role]

用法筆記

The displacement happens through gradual, often legitimate organisational change, without open conflict or dishonest methods — this distinguishes sense 4 from sense 3, which involves intentional deception or sabotage. Sense 4 is commonly used in the context of corporate takeovers, management restructuring, or leadership transitions where the person simply loses influence over time.