push the envelope
idiom
: to go beyond the usual or normal limits by doing something new, dangerous, etc.
a director who has pushed the envelope in his recent films
a new airplane design that pushes the envelope
Examples of push the envelope in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
This isn’t a criticism—sometimes being merciless to your hardware is necessary to push the envelope of what’s possible.
—
IEEE Spectrum, 16 Apr. 2024
Advertisers expect agencies to be constant catalysts of innovative thinking and execution, to push the envelope and bring them tangible ideas or improved capabilities.
—Bruno Gralpois, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024
For her first show in 2018, Minaj aimed to push the envelope.
—Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 7 Dec. 2023
European designers often push the envelope with the familiar.
—Elaine Markoutsas, Kansas City Star, 24 Jan. 2024
The team wants to really push the envelope in ways that are always earned, but definitely pushing the envelope for us as a [streaming] service.
—Nick Romano, EW.com, 7 Sep. 2023
Beijing — and, to a lesser extent, Washington — might be concerned about Lai’s early advocacy, but he isn’t seen as likely to push the envelope among the elders of the hardcore Taiwan independence movement.
—Vic Chiang, Washington Post, 13 Jan. 2024
With such big names championing his brand, Lee shouldn’t be afraid to push the envelope.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 11 Dec. 2023
All that customization adds up to a boot that’s got the guts to push the envelope on the slopes but still feels good.
—Douglas Schnitzspahn, Travel + Leisure, 21 Dec. 2023
IEEE Spectrum, 16 Apr. 2024
Advertisers expect agencies to be constant catalysts of innovative thinking and execution, to push the envelope and bring them tangible ideas or improved capabilities.
—Bruno Gralpois, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024
For her first show in 2018, Minaj aimed to push the envelope.
—Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 7 Dec. 2023
European designers often push the envelope with the familiar.
—Elaine Markoutsas, Kansas City Star, 24 Jan. 2024
The team wants to really push the envelope in ways that are always earned, but definitely pushing the envelope for us as a [streaming] service.
—Nick Romano, EW.com, 7 Sep. 2023
Beijing — and, to a lesser extent, Washington — might be concerned about Lai’s early advocacy, but he isn’t seen as likely to push the envelope among the elders of the hardcore Taiwan independence movement.
—Vic Chiang, Washington Post, 13 Jan. 2024
With such big names championing his brand, Lee shouldn’t be afraid to push the envelope.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 11 Dec. 2023
All that customization adds up to a boot that’s got the guts to push the envelope on the slopes but still feels good.
—Douglas Schnitzspahn, Travel + Leisure, 21 Dec. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'push the envelope.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Push the envelope.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/push%20the%20envelope. Accessed 4 May. 2024.
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