border on

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
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.
My reaction bordered on disbelief. Chiara Barzini, Vogue, 9 May 2026 His dominance bordered on comical to Brown. Devon Henderson, New York Times, 4 May 2026 At times, the tonal clash introduced by those pops of ultra-modernity borders on absurdism. Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 30 Apr. 2026 The property is bordered on two sides by residences and on another by a country club, and it’s not zoned for industrial use. Jesse Wright, Chicago Tribune, 28 Apr. 2026 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 11 May. 2026.

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