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
For some Snoopy enthusiasts, the high volume of Snoopy products borders on oversaturation, threatening to cheapen the spirit of the character.
—
Malia Mendez, Twin Cities, 4 Jan. 2026
His absence borders on egregious.
—Sean Gentille, New York Times, 2 Jan. 2026
In the microgravity of orbit, atoms line up with a precision that borders on the impossible.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 31 Dec. 2025
But much of it is simply my personality, which borders on the obsessive-compulsive.
—Tom Vanderbilt, Travel + Leisure, 31 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for border on
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.
Malia Mendez, Twin Cities, 4 Jan. 2026
His absence borders on egregious.
—Sean Gentille, New York Times, 2 Jan. 2026
In the microgravity of orbit, atoms line up with a precision that borders on the impossible.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 31 Dec. 2025
But much of it is simply my personality, which borders on the obsessive-compulsive.
—Tom Vanderbilt, Travel + Leisure, 31 Dec. 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 8 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share