pushing the envelope
Testing the boundaries
Pushing the envelope means testing limits or going beyond established boundaries.
The phrase comes from aviation, where the "flight envelope" describes the safe operating limits of an aircraft—test pilots who pushed the envelope flew at the edges of what was considered possible.
Now used broadly for any bold attempt to exceed conventional constraints: The design team kept pushing the envelope on battery life.
Adventurous courage
- audacityBrazen, reckless daring
- boldnessFearless readiness to act
- gambleStake on uncertain outcome
- venturesomeInclined toward risky endeavors
courage · fearlessness · nerve · guts · chutzpah · calculated risk · high-stakes · leap of faith
Novel creative quality
- imaginationFaculty for forming ideas
- ingenuityClever, original thinking
- inventivenessCapacity for original creation
- unconventionalityDeparture from accepted standards
experimentation · divergent thinking · ideation · out-of-the-box · blue-sky thinking · brainstorming · freeform · lateral thinking
Being the first through
- groundbreakingIntroducing radical new ideas
- avant-gardeInnovative cultural pioneers
- vanguardForemost position or group
- forefrontMost prominent position
pathfinder · trendsetter · uncharted territory · first-of-its-kind · unprecedented · explorer · spearhead · early adopter
Sudden important advance
- disruptionForceful interruption of process
- cutting-edgeAt innovation's forefront
- inventionNew device or method
- advancementForward movement or promotion
progress · transformation · prototype · experimentation · revolution · modernization · development · evolution
daring
Adventurous courage
venturesome · courage · fearlessness · nerve · guts · chutzpah · calculated risk · high-stakes · leap of faith · doubling down
originality
Novel creative quality
- imaginationFaculty for forming ideas
- ingenuityClever, original thinking
- inventivenessCapacity for original creation
unconventionality · experimentation · divergent thinking · ideation · out-of-the-box · blue-sky thinking · brainstorming · freeform · lateral thinking · artistic license
trailblazing
Being the first through
- groundbreakingIntroducing radical new ideas
- avant-gardeInnovative cultural pioneers
- vanguardForemost position or group
forefront · pathfinder · trendsetter · uncharted territory · first-of-its-kind · unprecedented · explorer · spearhead · early adopter · maverick
breakthrough
Sudden important advance
- disruptionForceful interruption of process
- cutting-edgeAt innovation's forefront
- inventionNew device or method
advancement · progress · transformation · prototype · experimentation · revolution · modernization · development · evolution · technology
- Risk-Takingplaying with fire, rolling the dice, taking chances, living on the edge, going for broke
- metaphors for overachievementgoing the extra mile, raising the bar, going above and beyond, overdelivering, overperforming
pushing the envelopeplaying it safe
Avoiding unnecessary risk
erring on the side of caution · hedging one's bets · risk-averse · cautious · timid
pushing the envelopecoloring inside the lines
Adhering to prescribed limits
toeing the line · conforming · staying in one's lane · falling in line
pushing the enveloperesting on one's laurels
Relying on past accomplishments
coasting · settling · phoning it in · going through the motions · treading water
pushed, pushes, pusher, pushers, envelope, envelopes, enveloped, enveloping, envelopment