From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishon the fringes (of something)on the fringes (of something)a) RIGHT/PROPERnot completely belonging to or accepted by a group of people who share the same job, activities etc a small group on the fringes of the art world b) (also on the fringe)EDGE at the part of something that is farthest from the centre SYN on the edge of something Nina remained on the fringe of the crowd. → fringe
Examples from the Corpus
on the fringes (of something)• Both teams are on the fringes of playoff contention, and that was reflected in the game.• It is a monopoly with a little managed competition on the fringes.• He had served on numerous civic committees and dabbled on the fringes of politics, mainly at the name-dropping level.• It is on the fringes of higher education, through its contribution to research, which provides an educational resource for students.• Or only on the fringes, allowed in after promises of exemplary behaviour?• But they all remained on the fringes.• The idea, indeed, was supported more by those on the fringes of political life than by those at the centre. 