bor·der·line
ˈbȯr-dər-ˌlīn 
1
a
: being in an intermediate position or state : not fully classifiable as one thing or its opposite
a borderline state between waking and sleeping
b
: not quite up to, typical of, or as severe as what is usual, standard, or expected
borderline intelligence
borderline hypertension
c
: characterized by psychological instability in several areas (such as interpersonal relations, behavior, and identity) but only with brief or no psychotic episodes
a borderline personality disorder
2
: situated at or near a border
a borderline town
borderline
noun
: almost, nearly
The decorations were borderline tacky.
She was borderline diabetic.
… getting this close to such a vibrant music town without checking it out is borderline criminal.—
Rusty Pate
Rusty PateHe played an arrangement some fiddlers have called borderline impossible with a breathless passion to a last note that faded into the heavens.—Rich Landers
Rich LandersExamples of borderline in a Sentence
Adjective
In borderline cases like these, the best course of action is difficult to determine.
As a borderline diabetic, Lara is able to control her blood sugar levels solely through diet.
Adverb
The movie is only borderline funny.
your answer was borderline rude, so I would advise you to be more diplomatic in the future
Recent Examples on the Web
Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 23 Oct. 2025
Mariners lefty Gabe Speier — who had been borderline unhittable for a month — entered, and managed absolutely nothing to slow down the deluge of runs.
—Levi Weaver, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025
David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Oct. 2019
Both teams came out hitting to start Game 2 and the intensity jumped another level after McNabb’s borderline hit on Kuznetsov.
—Adam Candee, Detroit Free Press, 30 May 2018
See All Example Sentences for borderline
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Adjective
This season turns Noah into a smarmier, borderline sociopathic character — far more like Joe from Netflix’s You than anybody is likely to want to admit — whose condescension often became insufferable for me.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 23 Oct. 2025
Mariners lefty Gabe Speier — who had been borderline unhittable for a month — entered, and managed absolutely nothing to slow down the deluge of runs.
—Levi Weaver, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025
Adverb
Fringe-y/borderline/ticking-time-bomb people are always out there and probably have active imaginations that go way beyond what sometimes pops up in movies.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Oct. 2019
Both teams came out hitting to start Game 2 and the intensity jumped another level after McNabb’s borderline hit on Kuznetsov.
—Adam Candee, Detroit Free Press, 30 May 2018
See All Example Sentences for borderline
Cite this Entry
“Borderline.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/borderline. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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