# edge out

CEFR B2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/edge-out
Updated: 2026-10-22

## Definition

to beat someone in a competition by a very small amount. You can also use it when one thing slowly replaces another or pushes it out of a position.

For teachers: to defeat a competitor by a narrow margin or to displace someone or something from a position through gradual pressure. This transitive verb typically takes a direct object representing the entity being defeated or replaced.

## Examples

- Our team managed to edge out the rivals in the final minute.
- The local bakery was eventually edged out of the market by the large supermarket chain that opened nearby.
- Despite a late surge in the polls, the incumbent was edged out by the challenger, who secured victory by fewer than five hundred votes.

## Pitfalls

- Not "They edged out from the competition." but "They edged out the competition." — 'Edge out' is transitive and requires a direct object; it does not take the preposition 'from' when meaning to defeat.

## Usage notes

- Often used in sports, politics, or business to describe a close victory or a slow displacement.
- Teaching tip: Contrast with 'defeat' or 'replace' to highlight the specific nuance of a 'narrow margin' or a 'gradual process'.

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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.