Brinkmanship

Pronunciation: /ˈbrɪŋkmənˌʃɪp/

Definitions of brinkmanship

noun a foreign policy strategy in which one nation pushes a dangerous situation to the brink of disaster in order to achieve the most advantageous outcome

Example Sentences

A1 I don't like playing brinkmanship with my friends.

A2 The two countries engaged in brinkmanship over the disputed territory.

B1 The negotiations reached a point of brinkmanship before a compromise was finally reached.

B2 The CEO's brinkmanship tactics helped the company secure a better deal.

C1 The politician's brinkmanship nearly led to a global crisis.

C2 The brinkmanship between the two superpowers escalated tensions to a dangerous level.

Examples of brinkmanship in a Sentence

formal The two countries engaged in brinkmanship as they both tried to gain the upper hand in negotiations.

informal The siblings were constantly playing a game of brinkmanship, always trying to one-up each other.

slang The students' brinkmanship in class was getting out of hand, with each one trying to outsmart the other.

figurative The CEO's brinkmanship in the business world paid off as he successfully navigated through risky decisions.

Grammatical Forms of brinkmanship

• past tense: brinkmanned
• plural: brinkmanships
• comparative: more brinkmanship
• superlative: most brinkmanship
• present tense: brinkmanships
• future tense: will brinkmanship
• perfect tense: have brinkmanship
• continuous tense: brinkmanshiping
• singular: brinkmanship
• positive degree: brinkmanship
• infinitive: to brinkmanship
• gerund: brinkmanship
• participle: brinkmanshiped

Origin and Evolution of brinkmanship

First Known Use: 1956 year

Language of Origin: English

Story behind the word: The word 'brinkmanship' originated from the English language.

Evolution of the word: The term 'brinkmanship' was first used in the context of international relations during the Cold War era to describe a strategy where one party pushes a dangerous situation to the brink of disaster in order to achieve the most advantageous outcome. Over time, the term has been used more broadly to describe any risky or confrontational approach to negotiations or conflicts.