fine line

American

[fahyn lahyn] / ˈfaɪn ˈlaɪn /

noun

a small, barely perceptible difference.

There's often a fine line between helping and interfering.

idioms

walk a fine line,
1. to act carefully in order to avoid the wrong outcome or maintain a delicate balance.
  
  Moderators walk a fine line between censorship and protecting their site's users.
  I had to walk a fine line between maintaining the peace and doing my job.
2. to act in a way that risks a disastrous outcome.
  
  You’re walking a fine line, buddy—if you don’t start watching your mouth, you’ll lose the respect of your kids.

Etymology

Origin of fine line

First recorded in 1845–50

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"The mayor is trying to walk a fine line between not giving into narratives about young people of colour in this city, which is important," he said, but added, "The police officers themselves and the PBA are always going to be sensitive to the mayor not standing up for police."

From BBC

Moore has also tried to walk a fine line on the LAFD’s after-action report, which was meant to spell out mistakes and suggest measures to avoid repeating them.

From Los Angeles Times

As to the famous fine line between stupid and clever, the stupidity and the cleverness are all but inextricable, and to the point.

From Los Angeles Times

Tina says there's also a fine line between refreshing and overdoing it as "very aggressive ice exposure can irritate sensitive skin or trigger rosacea, so keep it gentle".

From BBC

Olympic coach, John Wroblewski, tells her, “Find that fine line, don’t get in trouble, don’t do anything stupid.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023