cutting edge
Bleeding-edge technology zone
Cutting edge refers to the forefront of development or innovation—the most advanced position in a field: cutting-edge technology, researchers working at the cutting edge of medicine.
The metaphor comes from a blade's sharpest part, the edge that does the actual cutting.
Something on the cutting edge is newer and more experimental than what's merely current or modern.
Being the first through
- groundbreakingIntroducing radical new ideas
- vanguardForemost position or group
- forefrontMost prominent position
- avant-gardeInnovative cultural pioneers
visionary · revolutionary · unprecedented · first-mover · pathbreaking · original · experimental · radical
Blade for removing hair
- knifeSharp cutting utensil
- scalpelPrecise surgical knife
- bladeFlat cutting edge
- sharpenedMade more cutting
honed · keen · serrated · whetstone · incision · slice · precision · surgical
Most technologically advanced available
- high-techUsing newest innovations
- breakthroughSudden important advance
- next-genUpcoming iteration, informally
- futuristicSuggestive of times ahead
ultramodern · advanced · sophisticated · innovation · disruption · emerging · frontier · revolutionary
Currently in style
- stylishFashionably elegant
- hipFashionable or pelvic joint
- trendyCurrently in vogue
- chicTasteful, current flair
contemporary · modern · edgy · cool · sleek · fresh · tastemaker · trendsetter
Standard for comparison
- top-tierOf highest quality
- preeminentSuperior to all others
- flagshipCommander's principal vessel
- dominantHaving superior influence
elite · world-class · best-in-class · authoritative · influential · premier · competitive · ahead
trailblazing
Being the first through
- groundbreakingIntroducing radical new ideas
- vanguardForemost position or group
- forefrontMost prominent position
avant-garde · visionary · revolutionary · unprecedented · first-mover · pathbreaking · original · experimental · radical · transformative
razor
Blade for removing hair
sharpened · honed · keen · serrated · whetstone · incision · slice · precision · surgical · fine
state-of-the-art
Most technologically advanced available
- high-techUsing newest innovations
- breakthroughSudden important advance
- next-genUpcoming iteration, informally
futuristic · ultramodern · advanced · sophisticated · innovation · disruption · emerging · frontier · revolutionary · digital
fashionable
Currently in style
chic · contemporary · modern · edgy · cool · sleek · fresh · tastemaker · trendsetter · modish
benchmark
Standard for comparison
- top-tierOf highest quality
- preeminentSuperior to all others
- flagshipCommander's principal vessel
dominant · elite · world-class · best-in-class · authoritative · influential · premier · competitive · ahead
- bladesblade, knife, razor blade, scalpel, dagger
- buzzwordssynergy, leverage, paradigm, stakeholder, scalable
- drill bitsflute, shank, body, helix, lip
- fashionfashion, clothing, apparel, attire, garment
- edgesborder, boundary, brim, brink, perimeter
- innovationinnovation, invention, innovative, innovate, breakthrough
cutting edgeobsolete
No longer in use
outdated · antiquated · outmoded · behind the times · archaic
cutting edgeunfashionable
Not currently stylish
unstylish · passé · out of style · dowdy · frumpy
cutting edgeconventional
Following accepted practices
traditional · establishment · conservative · old guard · hidebound