borrowing

1 of 2

noun

bor·​row·​ing ˈbär-ə-wiŋ 

ˈbȯr-

: something borrowed

especially : a word or phrase adopted from one language into another

borrowing

2 of 2

present participle of borrow

Examples of borrowing in a Sentence

Noun

He's compiling a list of Japanese borrowings in English.

Students must have their own pencils. Borrowing is not allowed.

Economists predict that there will be increases in government borrowing.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Lower mortgage rates relieve some of the pressure on prospective homebuyers facing higher borrowing costs on home loans. — ABC News, 5 Nov. 2026

Rocket Loans' maximum APR is lower than many competitors and an available autopay discount can help lower the cost of borrowing even further. — Dan Avery,jasmin Suknanan, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2026

Austin-area home shoppers saw asking prices fall sharply in October, but higher borrowing costs continue to complicate the path from browsing listings to buying a home. — Julianna Duennes Russ, Austin American Statesman, 5 Nov. 2026

Whatever the final borrowing costs, the university’s repayment obligation on the parking garage does not depend on whether the rest of 865 Neyland gets built. — Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 4 Nov. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

circa 1598, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for borrowing

• sorrowing

Kids Definition

borrowing

noun

bor·​row·​ing ˈbär-ə-wiŋ 

ˈbȯr-

: something borrowed

especially : a word or phrase adopted from one language into another