borderline

adjective

bor·der·line | \ ˈbȯr-dər-ˌlīn

Definition of borderline

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : being in an intermediate position or state : not fully classifiable as one thing or its opposite a borderline state between waking and sleeping

b : not quite up to, typical of, or as severe as what is usual, standard, or expected borderline intelligence borderline hypertension

c : characterized by psychological instability in several areas (such as interpersonal relations, behavior, and identity) but only with brief or no psychotic episodes a borderline personality disorder

2 : situated at or near a border a borderline town

borderline

adverb

Definition of borderline (Entry 2 of 2)

: almost, nearly borderline tacky borderline suicidal

Other Words from borderline Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about borderline

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Synonyms & Antonyms for borderline

Synonyms: Adjective

frontier,
marginal

Synonyms: Adverb

about,
all but,
almost,
fair
[chiefly British],
fairly,
feckly
[chiefly Scottish],
more or less,
most,
much,
near,
nearly,
next to,
nigh,
practically,
somewhere,
virtually,
well-nigh

Antonyms: Adjective

interior

Examples of borderline in a Sentence

Adjective In borderline cases like these, the best course of action is difficult to determine. As a borderline diabetic, Lara is able to control her blood sugar levels solely through diet. Adverb The movie is only borderline funny. your answer was borderline rude, so I would advise you to be more diplomatic in the future

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective Collins, who led the Big Ten with 19.7 yards per catch in 2019 (37 receptions for 729 yards and seven touchdowns), has long been considered a borderline Day 2 pick. — Jonas Shaffer, baltimoresun.com, "As Pro Days wind down, potential Ravens prospects rise and fall," 7 Apr. 2021 And while not everyone has her nose for legal research or her borderline-photographic memory for statutes, the focused, indefatigable nature of advocacy is replicable. — Robin Kaiser-schatzlein, The New Republic, "How Housing Activists Took on Philadelphia and Won," 29 Mar. 2021 Still, employees mostly respected him for his deep, borderline obsessive love of books and of his business. — Madison Malone Kircher, Vulture, "How the Strand Lost Its Workers," 19 Mar. 2021 This segment simply amounted to Adam Cole and Kyle O’Reilly making borderline-criminal threats to one another before leaving to carry them out. — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes, "WWE NXT Results: Winners, News And Notes On March 17, 2021," 18 Mar. 2021 Sam Bigelow, director of college counseling at Middlesex School in Concord, Mass., said some underrepresented students may get a boost without borderline test scores holding them back. — Douglas Belkin, WSJ, "College Admission Season Is Crazier Than Ever. That Could Change Who Gets In.," 16 Mar. 2021 But now, Katie Holmes is bringing us back down to earth, making a strong case for arguably the most effortless hair color of all: a borderline-black shade of dark brown that's the polar opposite of bright, sunny warm-weather highlights. — Megan Decker, refinery29.com, "Katie Holmes’ New Hair Color For Spring? Groundbreaking.," 12 Mar. 2021 Rhodes not only proved those doubters wrong but delivered a borderline Pro Bowl season while playing all 16 games. — Jim Ayello, The Indianapolis Star, "Insiders: Colts GM Chris Ballad's best and worst free agent signings," 6 Mar. 2021 Every degree increase in the global average temperature results in roughly 1 billion people living in borderline uninhabitable conditions, many without the means to afford cooling technology. — Emily Farra, Vogue, "Dressing for a Hotter Planet: In Dubai, Designers Face an Uncertain Future With Creativity," 4 Mar. 2021 Recent Examples on the Web: 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, "Hollywood Reporter Film Critics Debate: Does 'Joker' Have a Problematic Punchline?," 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, "2018 NHL Stanley Cup Finals: Golden Knights-Capitals Game 2 observations," 30 May 2018 In the middle of this, I was tested for gestational diabetes, and the result came back borderline. — The Cut, "The Mom Who Faced the Odds of Getting Pregnant at 44," 14 Sep. 2017 There’s no doubting the existence and growing popularity online of conspiratorial—and borderline demented—commentary on Russia. — Jeet Heer, New Republic, "No, Liberals Are Not Falling for Conspiracy Theories Just Like Conservatives Do," 23 May 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'borderline.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries near borderline

borderline personality disorder

border on

border pen

Statistics for borderline

Last Updated

16 Apr 2021

Cite this Entry

“Borderline.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/borderline. Accessed 23 Apr. 2021.

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More Definitions for borderline

borderline

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of borderline

(Entry 1 of 2)

: having some but not all characteristics of something

: not quite as severe as what is usual or expected

: existing at or near a border

borderline

adverb

English Language Learners Definition of borderline (Entry 2 of 2)

: almost or nearly

See the full definition for borderline in the English Language Learners Dictionary

borderline

adjective

bor·der·line | \ ˈbȯr-dər-ˌlīn

Kids Definition of borderline

: not quite average, standard, or normal She's a borderline student for advanced math.

borderline

adjective

bor·der·line | \ -ˌlīn \

Medical Definition of borderline

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : being in an intermediate position or state : not fully classifiable as one thing or its opposite especially : not quite up to what is usual, standard, or expected borderline intelligence

2 : exhibiting typical but not altogether conclusive symptoms a borderline diabetic

3 : of, relating to, being, or exhibiting a behavior pattern typical or suggestive of borderline personality disorder a borderline patient borderline behavior

borderline

noun

Medical Definition of borderline (Entry 2 of 2)

: a person affected with borderline personality disorder

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