thin end of the wedge

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thin end of the wedge

noun the thin end of the wedge · small end of the wedge · thin edge of the wedge

idiomatic Something that if allowed or accepted to a small degree would lead to systematic encroachment. The MP told parliament that legalising cannabis would be the thin end of the wedge.

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MLA

"thin end of the wedge." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/thin%20end%20of%20the%20wedge. Accessed 7 Nov. 2026.

APA

thin end of the wedge. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 7, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/thin%20end%20of%20the%20wedge

Chicago

"thin end of the wedge." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 7, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/thin%20end%20of%20the%20wedge.

BibTeX

@misc{thin_end_of_the_wedge_2026,
  title = {thin end of the wedge},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/thin%20end%20of%20the%20wedge},
  urldate = {2026-11-07}
}