borrowing

noun

bor·​row·​ing ˈbär-ə-wiŋ How to pronounce borrowing (audio)
ˈbȯr-
: something borrowed
especially : a word or phrase adopted from one language into another

Examples of borrowing in a Sentence

He's compiling a list of Japanese borrowings in English. Students must have their own pencils. Borrowing is not allowed. Economists predict that there will be increases in government borrowing.
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.
One silver lining to the market turbulence may be lower borrowing costs. Andrea Riquier, USA Today, 10 Oct. 2025 Today, borrowing is happening again. Amachie Ackah, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2025 The meeting summary indicated near unanimity among participants at the Federal Open Market Committee that the central bank’s key overnight borrowing rate should be cut due to weakness in the labor market. Jeff Cox, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2025 The recent rise in France’s borrowing costs compared with those of Italy is particularly striking. Ana Nicolaci Da Costa, CNN Money, 8 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for borrowing

Word History

First Known Use

1609, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of borrowing was in 1609

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Borrowing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/borrowing. Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

borrowing

noun
bor·​row·​ing ˈbär-ə-wiŋ How to pronounce borrowing (audio)
ˈbȯr-
: something borrowed
especially : a word or phrase adopted from one language into another
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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