Hedge vs. Edge — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on October 17, 2023
A hedge is typically a fence formed by a dense row of shrubs, while an edge is the outer or defining boundary of an object or surface.
Difference Between Hedge and Edge
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Hedge, in its most basic sense, refers to a fence or boundary created using shrubs or small trees, grown densely. It often demarcates property lines or serves aesthetic purposes. Edge, on the other hand, alludes to the boundary or limit of a surface, object, or area, marking where it ends.
While a hedge may be seen in gardens, dividing sections or marking a property's limit, an edge can be found in various contexts, from the edge of a book to the edge of a cliff. Though both terms describe boundaries, their applications differ significantly.
In financial contexts, hedge has a distinct meaning. It refers to making an investment to reduce the risk of adverse price movements in an asset. Conversely, Edge can be used figuratively to indicate a slight advantage or superiority in various domains, not restricted to finance.
Diversifying the meanings further, to "hedge one's bets" is an idiom implying that one is protecting themselves from a loss by pursuing dual strategies. On the opposite spectrum, "to have an edge" in a competition means having a small advantage over opponents.
In essence, while both hedge and edge have their roots in defining boundaries or limits, their usage, context, and connotations can differ widely.
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Comparison Chart
Part of Speech
Noun (can be a verb in certain contexts)
Noun (can be a verb in certain contexts)
Primary Definition
A fence formed by a dense row of shrubs
The outer boundary of an object or surface
Contextual Usage
Often refers to plants or financial strategies
Often refers to physical or metaphorical boundaries
Example
"She planted a hedge around her garden."
"He stood at the edge of the platform."
Synonyms
Barrier, shrubbery, safeguard
Boundary, rim, brink
Compare with Definitions
Hedge
A line of people or objects forming a barrier
A hedge of spectators along the sidewalk.
Edge
The outside limit of an object, area, or surface
She perched on the edge of a desk
A willow tree at the water's edge
Hedge
A means of protection or defense, especially against financial loss
A hedge against inflation.
Edge
Provide with a border or edge
The pool is edged with paving
Hedge
A securities transaction that reduces the risk on an existing investment position.
Edge
The sharpened side of the blade of a cutting implement or weapon
A knife with a razor-sharp edge
Hedge
A hedge or hedgerow is a line of closely spaced shrubs and sometimes trees, planted and trained to form a barrier or to mark the boundary of an area, such as between neighbouring properties. Hedges used to separate a road from adjoining fields or one field from another, and of sufficient age to incorporate larger trees, are known as hedgerows.
Edge
A quality or factor which gives superiority over close rivals
His cars have the edge over his rivals'
Hedge
A row of closely planted shrubs or low-growing trees forming a fence or boundary.
Edge
The outer or defining boundary of an object or surface.
The edge of the table was sharp.
Hedge
A fence formed by a dense row of shrubs.
Their house was surrounded by a tall hedge.
Edge
A slight advantage or superiority.
She had an edge in experience over the other candidates.
Hedge
An intentionally non-committal or ambiguous statement.
His answers were full of hedges.
Edge
To move slowly and carefully in a particular direction.
He edged closer to the door.
Hedge
To avoid a direct answer or commitment.
She hedged when asked about her plans.
Edge
Move or cause to move gradually or furtively in a particular direction
Hazel quietly edged him away from the others
She tried to edge away from him
Hedge
A strategy to offset potential losses.
The investor created a hedge using options.
Edge
Give an intense or sharp quality to
The bitterness that edged her voice
Hedge
An intentionally noncommittal or ambiguous statement.
Edge
Strike (the ball) with the edge of the bat; strike a ball delivered by (the bowler) with the edge of the bat
Haynes edged to slip
He edged a ball into his pad
Hedge
A word or phrase, such as possibly or I think, that mitigates or weakens the certainty of a statement.
Edge
Ski with one's weight on the edges of one's skis
You will be edging early, controlling a parallel turn
Hedge
To enclose or bound with or as if with hedges.
Edge
A thin, sharpened side, as of the blade of a cutting instrument.
Hedge
To hem in, hinder, or restrict with or as if with a hedge.
Edge
The degree of sharpness of a cutting blade.
Hedge
To minimize or protect against the loss of by counterbalancing one transaction, such as a bet, against another.
Edge
A penetrating, incisive quality
"His simplicity sets off the satire, and gives it a finer edge" (William Hazlitt).
Hedge
To plant or cultivate hedges.
Edge
A slight but noticeable sharpness, harshness, or discomforting quality
His voice had an edge to it.
Hedge
To take compensatory measures so as to counterbalance possible loss.
Edge
Keenness, as of desire or enjoyment; zest
The brisk walk gave an edge to my appetite.
Hedge
To avoid making a clear, direct response or statement.
Edge
The line or area farthest away from the middle
Lifted the carpet's edge.
Hedge
A thicket of bushes or other shrubbery, especially one planted as a fence between two portions of land, or to separate the parts of a garden.
He trims the hedge once a week.
Edge
The line of intersection of two surfaces
The edge of a brick.
Hedge
A barrier (often consisting of a line of persons or objects) to protect someone or something from harm.
Edge
A rim or brink
The edge of a cliff.
Hedge
A mound of earth, stone- or turf-faced, often topped with bushes, used as a fence between any two portions of land.
Edge
The point at which something is likely to begin
On the edge of war.
Hedge
(pragmatics) A non-committal or intentionally ambiguous statement.
Weasel word
Edge
A margin of superiority; an advantage
A slight edge over the opposition.
Hedge
(finance) Contract or arrangement reducing one's exposure to risk (for example the risk of price movements or interest rate movements).
The asset class acts as a hedge.
A hedge is an investment position intended to offset potential losses/gains that may be incurred by a companion investment. In simple language, a hedge is used to reduce any substantial losses/gains suffered by an individual or an organization.
Edge
To give an edge to (a blade); sharpen.
Hedge
Used attributively, with figurative indication of a person's upbringing, or professional activities, taking place by the side of the road; third-rate.
Edge
To tilt (a ski or both skis) in such a way that an edge or both edges bite into the snow.
Hedge
(transitive) To enclose with a hedge or hedges.
To hedge a field or garden
Edge
To put a border or edge on
Edged the quilt with embroidery.
Hedge
(transitive) To obstruct or surround.
Edge
To act as or be an edge of
Bushes that edged the garden path.
Hedge
To offset the risk associated with.
Edge
To advance or push slightly or gradually
The dog edged the ball with its nose.
Hedge
(ambitransitive) To avoid verbal commitment.
He carefully hedged his statements with weasel words.
Edge
To trim or shape the edge of
Edge a lawn.
Hedge
(intransitive) To construct or repair a hedge.
Edge
To surpass or beat by a small margin. Often used with out
The runner edged her opponent out at the last moment.
Hedge
To reduce one's exposure to risk.
Edge
To move gradually or hesitantly
The child edged toward the door.
Hedge
A thicket of bushes, usually thorn bushes; especially, such a thicket planted as a fence between any two portions of land; and also any sort of shrubbery, as evergreens, planted in a line or as a fence; particularly, such a thicket planted round a field to fence it, or in rows to separate the parts of a garden.
The roughest berry on the rudest hedge.
Through the verdant mazeOf sweetbrier hedges I pursue my walk.
Edge
The boundary line of a surface.
Hedge
To inclose or separate with a hedge; to fence with a thickly set line or thicket of shrubs or small trees; as, to hedge a field or garden.
Edge
(geometry) A one-dimensional face of a polytope. In particular, the joining line between two vertices of a polygon; the place where two faces of a polyhedron meet.
Hedge
To obstruct, as a road, with a barrier; to hinder from progress or success; - sometimes with up and out.
I will hedge up thy way with thorns.
Lollius Urbius . . . drew another wall . . . to hedge out incursions from the north.
Edge
An advantage.
I have the edge on him.
Hedge
To surround for defense; to guard; to protect; to hem (in).
Edge
The thin cutting side of the blade of an instrument, such as an ax, knife, sword, or scythe; that which cuts as an edge does, or wounds deeply, etc.
Hedge
To surround so as to prevent escape.
That is a law to hedge in the cuckoo.
Edge
A sharp terminating border; a margin; a brink; an extreme verge.
The cup is right on the edge of the table.
He is standing on the edge of a precipice.
Hedge
To protect oneself against excessive loss in an activity by taking a countervailing action; as, to hedge an investment denominated in a foreign currency by buying or selling futures in that currency; to hedge a donation to one political party by also donating to the opposed political party.
Edge
Sharpness; readiness or fitness to cut; keenness; intenseness of desire.
Hedge
To shelter one's self from danger, risk, duty, responsibility, etc., as if by hiding in or behind a hedge; to skulk; to slink; to shirk obligations.
I myself sometimes, leaving the fear of God on the left hand and hiding mine honor in my necessity, am fain to shuffle, to hedge and to lurch.
Edge
The border or part adjacent to the line of division; the beginning or early part (of a period of time)
In the edge of evening
Hedge
To reduce the risk of a wager by making a bet against the side or chance one has bet on.
Edge
(cricket) A shot where the ball comes off the edge of the bat, often unintentionally.
Hedge
To use reservations and qualifications in one's speech so as to avoid committing one's self to anything definite.
The Heroic Stanzas read much more like an elaborate attempt to hedge between the parties than . . . to gain favor from the Roundheads.
Edge
(graph theory) A connected pair of vertices in a graph.
Hedge
A fence formed by a row of closely planted shrubs or bushes
Edge
A level of sexual arousal that is maintained just short of reaching the point of inevitability, or climax.
Hedge
Any technique designed to reduce or eliminate financial risk; for example, taking two positions that will offset each other if prices change
Edge
The point of data production in an organization (the focus of edge computing), as opposed to the cloud.
Hedge
An intentionally noncommittal or ambiguous statement;
When you say `maybe' you are just hedging
Edge
(transitive) To move an object slowly and carefully in a particular direction.
He edged the book across the table.
The muggers edged her into an alley and demanded money.
Hedge
Avoid or try to avoid fulfilling, answering, or performing (duties, questions, or issues);
He dodged the issue
She skirted the problem
They tend to evade their responsibilities
He evaded the questions skillfully
Edge
(intransitive) To move slowly and carefully in a particular direction.
He edged away from her.
Hedge
Hinder or restrict with or as if with a hedge;
The animals were hedged in
Edge
(usually in the form 'just edge') To win by a small margin.
Hedge
Enclose or bound in with or as it with a hedge or hedges;
Hedge the property
Edge
To hit the ball with an edge of the bat, causing a fine deflection.
Hedge
Minimize loss or risk;
Diversify your financial portfolio to hedge price risks
Hedge your bets
Edge
(transitive) To trim the margin of a lawn where the grass meets the sidewalk, usually with an electric or gas-powered lawn edger.
Hedge
A means of protection against financial loss.
He used gold as a hedge against inflation.
Edge
(transitive) To furnish with an edge; to construct an edging.
Edge
To furnish with an edge, as a tool or weapon; to sharpen.
Edge
(figurative) To make sharp or keen; to incite; to exasperate; to goad; to urge or egg on.
Edge
To delay one's orgasm so as to remain almost at the point of orgasm.
Edge
The thin cutting side of the blade of an instrument; as, the edge of an ax, knife, sword, or scythe.
He which hath the sharp sword with two edges.
Slander,Whose edge is sharper than the sword.
Edge
Any sharp terminating border; a margin; a brink; extreme verge; as, the edge of a table, a precipice.
Upon the edge of yonder coppice.
In worst extremes, and on the perilous edgeOf battle.
Pursue even to the very edge of destruction.
Edge
Sharpness; readiness or fitness to cut; keenness; intenseness of desire.
The full edge of our indignation.
Death and persecution lose all the ill that they can have, if we do not set an edge upon them by our fears and by our vices.
Edge
The border or part adjacent to the line of division; the beginning or early part; as, in the edge of evening.
Edge
To furnish with an edge as a tool or weapon; to sharpen.
To edge her champion's sword.
Edge
To shape or dress the edge of, as with a tool.
Edge
To furnish with a fringe or border; as, to edge a dress; to edge a garden with box.
Hills whose tops were edged with groves.
Edge
To make sharp or keen, figuratively; to incite; to exasperate; to goad; to urge or egg on.
By such reasonings, the simple were blinded, and the malicious edged.
Edge
To move by little and little or cautiously, as by pressing forward edgewise; as, edging their chairs forwards.
Edge
To move sideways; to move gradually; as, edge along this way.
Edge
To sail close to the wind.
I must edge up on a point of wind.
Edge
The boundary of a surface
Edge
A sharp side formed by the intersection of two surfaces of an object;
He rounded the edges of the box
Edge
A line determining the limits of an area
Edge
The attribute of urgency;
His voice had an edge to it
Edge
A slight competitive advantage;
He had an edge on the competition
Edge
A strip near the boundary of an object;
He jotted a note on the margin of the page
Edge
Advance slowly, as if by inches;
He edged towards the car
Edge
Provide with a border or edge;
Edge the tablecloth with embroidery
Edge
Lie adjacent to another or share a boundary;
Canada adjoins the U.S.
England marches with Scotland
Edge
Provide with an edge;
Edge a blade
Edge
A quality of intensity or excitement.
The final match had everyone on the edge of their seats.
Edge
The boundary of a surface.
The cliff's edge was dangerous.
Common Curiosities
Is Hedge always related to plants?
No, it can also refer to financial strategies or non-committal statements.
Can Hedge be used as a verb?
Yes, e.g., "He hedged his answer."
Is a hedge always made of plants?
Typically, yes, but it can also metaphorically refer to barriers.
Can you "edge" a bet like you "hedge" a bet?
No, "hedge a bet" is the correct usage.
Is a hedge always dense?
Typically, hedges are dense, but they can vary based on maintenance.
What does Edge primarily indicate?
It primarily indicates the boundary of an object or surface.
Does having an edge mean being on edge?
No, "having an edge" means having an advantage, while "being on edge" means being anxious.
Can Edge refer to an advantage?
Yes, e.g., "Having experience gave her an edge."
How do hedges relate to finance?
In finance, a hedge is an investment to reduce risk.
Can Edge be used as a verb?
Yes, e.g., "She edged towards the exit."
Between hedge and edge, which is more versatile in meaning?
Both words have versatile meanings, but "edge" might be slightly more so because of its wider range of contexts.
Is the edge of a surface always sharp?
No, edges can be sharp or smooth, depending on the object.
What's the connection between hedge and ambiguity?
To "hedge" can mean to avoid giving a direct answer.
Can you "have an edge over" something?
Yes, it means having a slight advantage over that thing.
Can a hedge be inside a garden?
Yes, hedges can be both boundaries or decorative elements inside a garden.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
