border on
phrasal verb
bordered on; bordering on; borders on
1
: to have a border on (something) : to lie on a boundary of (something)
The area my ancestors come from borders on the Atacama Desert.
2
: to be very like (something) : to come very close to being (something)
The play's dialog borders on the ridiculous.
an enthusiasm bordering on fanaticism
Examples of border on in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Often, Alabama Shakes Version 2.0 bordered on being too cautious for a band that last issued new original music a decade ago.
—
Bob Gendron, Chicago Tribune, 16 July 2025
Thatcher Demko, Vancouver Canucks The idea of Thatcher Demko being traded within the division borders on farce.
—Allan Mitchell, New York Times, 22 June 2025
Obviously, that approach borders on an incoherent policy.
—Norbert Michel, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025
The best chance of thunderstorms will be along the Missouri-Iowa border on Tuesday, with a 20-35% chance of rain.
—Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 18 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for border on
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Bob Gendron, Chicago Tribune, 16 July 2025
Thatcher Demko, Vancouver Canucks The idea of Thatcher Demko being traded within the division borders on farce.
—Allan Mitchell, New York Times, 22 June 2025
Obviously, that approach borders on an incoherent policy.
—Norbert Michel, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025
The best chance of thunderstorms will be along the Missouri-Iowa border on Tuesday, with a 20-35% chance of rain.
—Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 18 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for border on
Cite this Entry
“Border on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/border%20on. Accessed 25 Jul. 2025.
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