pushed the envelope
Exceeded safe boundaries
To push the envelope is to extend the limits of what is possible or acceptable.
The phrase comes from aviation, where the flight envelope describes the boundaries of safe operation—pushing it meant testing those limits.
Now used broadly for any boundary-testing: She pushed the envelope with her experimental designs.
The comedian pushed the envelope but never crossed the line.
- groundbreakingIntroducing radical new ideas
- breaking new groundDoing something never done
- creativeProducing original ideas
- thinking outside the boxUnconventional creative reasoning
- innovativeIntroducing new ideas
cutting edge · inventive · revolutionary · audacity · bold move · space exploration · uncharted territory · breakthrough · bleeding edge · calculated risk · pioneering · trailblazing · technological progress · game changer · ingenuity · paradigm shift · fearlessness · adventurousness
- work idiomsburning out, rat race, climb the ladder, glass ceiling, golden handshake
pushed the envelopeplayed it safe
Acted to minimize risk
erred on the side of caution · colored inside the lines · hedged one's bets · toed the line · kept one's head down
pushed the envelopecoasted
Moved on momentum
rested on one's laurels · underachieved · held back · took it easy · slacked off
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