What does "cusp" mean?
A sharp point or pointed end.
Cusp
/kʌsp/ noun, verb, slang
noun, verb, slang ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A sharp point or pointed end.
- Grammar: cusp is listed as noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: angle, auger, bit, critical point.
- Useful contrasts: continuity, fossa, groove.
- Usage evidence: She was on the cusp of a breakthrough when the fire alarm went off.
How to use "cusp"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "cusp" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "cusp" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "cusp" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "cusp" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "cusp" is acting as noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "angle" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "cusp", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A sharp point or pointed end.
- 2 point formed by two intersecting arcs (as from the intrados of a Gothic arch) wordnet
- 3 An important moment when a decision is made that will determine future events. figuratively
"Newcastle were 11 points adrift of Spurs following their 5-0 mauling at the hands of the north London club in February. But a sixth successive Premier League win puts them on the cusp of European football next season as they surged 15 points clear of seventh-placed Everton, who have five games left to play."
- 4 small elevation on the grinding surface of a tooth wordnet
- 5 A point of a curve where the curve is continuous but has no derivative, but such that it has a derivative at every nearby point.
Show 6 more definitions
- 6 a thin triangular flap of a heart valve wordnet
- 7 A point made by the intersection of two curved lines or curved structures, a common motif in Gothic architecture.
- 8 A boundary between zodiacal signs and houses.
- 9 Any of the pointed parts of a canine tooth or molar.
- 10 A flap of a valve of a heart or blood vessel.
- 11 A point of transition.
"I see freight returning in a big way. The 2016 reconnection of the Helwith Bridge quarries can produce up to three heavy trains a day. The nearby and much bigger Horton quarry is also on the cusp of rail reconnection."
Verb
- 1 To behave in a reckless or dangerous manner. slang
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"She was on the cusp of a breakthrough when the fire alarm went off."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "cusp"?
Common synonyms include: angle, auger, bit, critical point, cusp point, drill.
How do you use "cusp" in a sentence?
She was on the cusp of a breakthrough when the fire alarm went off.
How do you pronounce "cusp"?
Pronounced /kʌsp/.
Etymology
From Latin cuspis (“a point, spear, pointed end”); first used in astrology. Doublet of cuspid and cuspis.