borderline 1 of 3

adjective

ˈbȯr-dər-ˌlīn How to pronounce borderline (audio)
Definition of borderlinenext
as in frontier
located at or near a border a borderline region that is claimed by both countries

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

borderline

2 of 3

adverb

as in almost
very close to but not completely your answer was borderline rude, so I would advise you to be more diplomatic in the future

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

borderline

3 of 3

noun

as in edge
the line or relatively narrow space that marks the outer limit of something the actual borderline separating the two properties is now being disputed

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of borderline
Adjective
And sure, six to eight weeks of emergency supplies might sound a little alarmist — maybe borderline doomsday prep-y. — Amber Harding Outkick, FOXNews.com, 31 July 2026 The Dillon one is actually borderline insane for a guy in an RCR car who understands how to get to the front at these types of races. — Jordan Bianchi, New York Times, 11 July 2026
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
Noun
Swift, Cam Skattebo, Tyler Allgeier, Jordan Mason, Jaylen Warren and Kaelon Black are all in the 20% market-share bucket, in borderline-RB2 territory. — Michael Salfino, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026 The darkly comic tone of those scenes can feel borderline condescending — Did Brizé ever imagine that some people could perhaps find fulfillment in their office jobs? — Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for borderline
Recent Examples of Synonyms for borderline
  1. frontier
  2. almost
  3. edge
  4. marginal
  5. practically
  6. perimeter
  7. nearly
  8. border
Adjective
  • That worried Huang, who fears a Chinese rival, and White House officials, who believe Chinese dependence on non-frontier American chips is the best way to ensure a lead in AI.
    — Charlie Campbell, Time, 11 Dec. 2025
Definition of frontier
Adverb
  • Season three of Nobody Wants This is almost upon us, and Lupe has been making her rounds from New York Fashion Week to the red carpet, including while wearing a pair of these exact Talbot jeans.
    — Rylee Johnston, PEOPLE, 29 Sep. 2026
  • More importantly, bonds are also almost certainly bigger than the traditional banking system—and probably crossed that mark sometime in the past decade, for the first time since both were invented a millennium ago.
    — Robin Wigglesworth, Fortune, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of almost
Noun
  • Iris Law’s piecey pixie is parted to the side, with soft texture and a jagged, wispy bang for some edge.
    — Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 27 Sep. 2026
  • Researchers recreated this underlying dynamics in a controllable quantum system and found that string breaking can begin at the edges before spreading inward.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of edge
Adjective
  • Quan said this was another marginal change, noting that under Charter Amendment ER, approved by voters in 2024, the ethics commission can impose fines of up to $15,000.
    — Sandra McDonald, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
  • And for those marginal savings, many studies have found the schedule can hurt student achievement.
    — Muskaan Arshad, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of marginal
Adverb
  • Wellbeing Butlers are at your beck and call to arrange reiki, gratifyingly strong massages in open air, cleansing Balinese ceremonies at the resort temple, or sunrise qi gong on the practically private sand.
    — Kathryn Romeyn, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Flats are a fashion staple that can be worn in practically every season (especially in the South).
    — Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of practically
Noun
  • Its sealed perimeter, only accessible via lines and screening, now makes one of the world’s wonders feel less like a wondrous part of the city than an attraction held behind glass.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Smith was able to stay relatively healthy last season, earning consistent playing time because of his pesky perimeter defense and steady offensive game in a backup point guard role.
    — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of perimeter
Adverb
  • But centering a nearly dead Cathy Ames (Florence Pugh) is Kazan’s entire intention with this project, and snagging us with the image of her bloody body crawling toward the Trasks’ farmhouse is a tip of the hand toward where East of Eden is going.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Michael Poore is a nearly 40-year veteran of public education and the former superintendent of the Little Rock and Bentonville school districts.
    — Michael Poore Special to the Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Online, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of nearly
Noun
  • The remains, discovered at a Greek border area 60 years ago, were flown to the Bulgarian capital, Sofia, aboard a military aircraft that was escorted by Bulgarian air force fighter jets from the country's border with Greece.
    — COSTAS KANTOURIS, Arkansas Online, 4 Oct. 2026
  • What starts as a brief encounter blossoms into a romance that transcends national borders.
    — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of border

Browse Nearby Words

borderlands
borderline
borderlines
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Borderline.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/borderline. Accessed 4 Oct. 2026.

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