border

1 of 2

noun

bor·​der ˈbȯr-dər How to pronounce border (audio)
1
: an outer part or edge
at the borders of the forest
2
textiles : an ornamental design at the edge of a fabric or rug
3
: a narrow bed of planted ground along the edge of a lawn or walkway
a border of tulips
4
: boundary
on the border between New York and Canada
crossed the border into Italy
5
: a plain or decorative margin around printed matter
wedding invitations with a delicate gold leaf border
bordered adjective

border

2 of 2

verb

bordered; bordering ˈbȯr-d(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce border (audio)

transitive verb

1
: to put a border on
a rug bordered with a pattern of leaves
bordered the garden with pansies
2
: to touch at the edge or boundary : bound
borders the city on the south
Slovakia borders Poland.

intransitive verb

1
: to lie on the border
the U.S. borders on Canada
2
: to approach the nature of a specified thing : verge
borders on the ridiculous
borderer noun

Examples of border in a Sentence

Noun He grew up in Malaysia, near the Indonesian border. They live just beyond the western border of the park. the border of the Sahara The quilt is quite plain except for its colorful border. a broad red border on each plate He planted pansies in the border. Verb Their property borders the park. Tall trees border the avenue. Two rivers border the city.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The agency said border crossings have been limited and roads in Gaza have become so unusable that urgent repairs are needed in order to transport basic needs, like food and medicine. Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 26 Aug. 2024 The movie touches upon the current border crisis and the exploitation of migrant children in the supply chain of American corporations. Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 19 Aug. 2024
Verb
What makes Southeastern’s campus unique is that it’s bordered by peaceful neighborhoods and gorgeous greenery. Symiah Dorsey, Southern Living, 18 Aug. 2024 There are also shows on deck for NYC’s Madison Square Garden, Cleveland, Dallas, Los Angeles, San Diego, Kansas City, Jacksonville, Miami and wrapping up with a hometown show on Oct. 11 at Long Island’s UBS Arena, which borders Queens. Find Nicki’s full post below. Michael Saponara, Billboard, 16 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for border 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'border.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English bordure, from Anglo-French, from border to border, from Old French bort border, of Germanic origin; probably akin to Old English bord board

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of border was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near border

Cite this Entry

“Border.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/border. Accessed 7 Sep. 2024.

Kids Definition

border

1 of 2 noun
bor·​der ˈbȯrd-ər How to pronounce border (audio)
1
: an outer part or edge
2
: a boundary especially of a country or state
3
: a narrow bed of plants along the edge of a garden or walk
4
: an ornamental design at the edge of a fabric or rug
bordered adjective

border

2 of 2 verb
bordered; bordering ˈbȯrd-(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce border (audio)
1
: to put a border on
border the garden with flowers
2
: to be located close or next to
the U.S. borders on Canada
3
: to come very close to being : verge
that remark borders on the ridiculous
borderer noun

Medical Definition

border

noun
bor·​der ˈbȯrd-ər How to pronounce border (audio)
: an outer part or edge see brush border

More from Merriam-Webster on border

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