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

Relevance

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
Aside from animation similarities, the main element these two cartoons have in common is a breakneck, borderline chaotic pace. — Chris Snellgrove, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Aug. 2026 The long, borderline stiletto shape gives each flower its own space to bloom—even allowing for some pearl accents. — Kara Jillian Brown, InStyle, 2 Aug. 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
In November 2025, South Korea proposed talks on clarifying the borderline, but North Korea didn’t respond. — ABC News, 5 Oct. 2026 The choice of chartreuse — a borderline putrid shade of it, no less — walked an appropriate tightrope between glamorous and grotesque. — Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 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
  • There’s plenty of other awful things happening in the episode, almost all of them revolving around Sai.
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Genetic comparisons revealed that deep-sea viral communities in the region are almost entirely unique, with just 4 percent of their protein clusters matching global databases.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of almost
Noun
  • Details like floor-to-ceiling glass and oak ceilings add to the home’s grandeur, and a fire pit at the edge of the lawn—plus private beach access—are ideal for travelers who want to soak in the salty breeze.
    — Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 11 Oct. 2026
  • For a cold moment the silence locked a grip on our table, though it was broken, at the edges, by the golf commentators moaning and harrumphing, Rory McIlroy having had a canary on a seventeenth fairway somewhere this championship Sunday.
    — Kevin Barry, New Yorker, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of edge
Adjective
  • The trade is poised to benefit farmers, particularly women, in developing economies such as India by converting marginal and underutilized land into income-generating assets.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Rain chances are from 80% to 90% for the region with another 2-4 inches forecast bringing a marginal risk for excessive rainfall and some minor flooding.
    — Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of marginal
Adverb
  • Remember the old Popeye and spinach routine, where the squinty-eyed sailor scarfs down a can of leafy greens and his muscles practically burst out of his shirt?
    — Maggie Ryan, Flow Space, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The chase for a third consecutive World Series championship is historically and essentially and practically kaput.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of practically
Noun
  • Like conventional pickup toppers, the Trunk mounts to the upper perimeter of the pickup bed, leaving most of the bed's volume untouched.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The question is whether there’s a late-game assassin (traditionally a perimeter player) on the roster.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of perimeter
Adverb
  • Emily Hargreaves, who has been at Multitude for nearly a decade, continues to lead the personal PR biz including Dyer, Adefope and Latif.
    — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Atlas assembly overhaul The company released a nearly six-minute video showing how its manufacturing processes support rapid hardware development, letting engineers move from design changes to physical components and assembled robots faster.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of nearly
Noun
  • For Choi, the project has also become another demonstration of what her own border-crossing background might make possible.
    — Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Not all of that movement happens through official border posts.
    — Nimi Princewill, CNN Money, 10 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 16 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of zenith

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 16
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All