# bleeding edge

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/bleeding-edge
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Something too new and untested to be reliable or to have any assurance of safety; the figurative place where such things exist.

## Examples

- That phone uses bleeding edge technology.
- Startups often build on bleeding edge tools that break without warning.
- The surgeon warned that the experimental procedure remained bleeding edge, with outcomes no one could yet predict.

## Origin

A 20th-century blend of *bleed* and *leading edge*, formed as a metaphorical extension of the *cutting edge*. The term implies a position so far at the forefront of advancement that the metaphorical sword has begun to draw blood.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.