Synonym Chooser

How is the word adjacent different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of adjacent are adjoining, contiguous, and juxtaposed. While all these words mean "being in close proximity," adjacent may or may not imply contact but always implies absence of anything of the same kind in between.

a house with an adjacent garage

When could adjoining be used to replace adjacent?

While in some cases nearly identical to adjacent, adjoining definitely implies meeting and touching at some point or line.

had adjoining rooms at the hotel

When would contiguous be a good substitute for adjacent?

While the synonyms contiguous and adjacent are close in meaning, contiguous implies having contact on all or most of one side.

offices in all 48 contiguous states

When can juxtaposed be used instead of adjacent?

Although the words juxtaposed and adjacent have much in common, juxtaposed means placed side by side especially so as to permit comparison and contrast.

a skyscraper juxtaposed to a church

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of adjacent The wedding festivities kicked off on Thursday, June 27, with a welcome party, held in a closed cloister adjacent to the Madonna dell'Orto church. Erin Clack, People.com, 29 June 2025 The millwork displayed throughout the kitchen is gorgeous, and if the soapstone and wooden counters along the walls and atop the large island offer insufficient work room, more counter space is available in the adjacent prep kitchen. James Alexander, Hartford Courant, 29 June 2025 The flatland at the southern end is adjacent to the Lón Lagoon, which is separated from the North Atlantic Ocean by a beautiful black sand beach. Jim Dobson, Forbes.com, 20 June 2025 This modern mode of transportation would usher in a golden age of motoring, and John Oosterhuis, an immigrant from the Netherlands, planned to take advantage by building the Dutch Mill Motel in 1951 adjacent to the new highway. Paul Eisenberg, Chicago Tribune, 20 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for adjacent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for adjacent
adjoining
Adjective
  • The adjoining rooms house showers and hydrotherapy pools, with a sole TV hanging from the wall of the latter.
    Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 7 July 2025
  • Local officials urged all residents near the Guadalupe River and adjoining creeks to seek higher ground pending further notice.
    Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Adjacent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adjacent. Accessed 12 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on adjacent

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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