Definition of adjacentnext

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 Ongoing debates over port concessions and terminal control underscore that both Washington and Beijing view the canal itself and canal-adjacent assets as strategic, not merely commercial in nature. Dewardric L. McNeal, CNBC, 11 Jan. 2026 That’s as the AI boom increasingly sends companies, including hyperscalers and adjacent firms, to the bond market to fund massive investments in data centers and other infrastructure. Jason Ma, Fortune, 10 Jan. 2026 Consider the past year’s rent swings from ApartmentList at the city level for the fire-adjacent markets. Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 9 Jan. 2026 Freight forwarding giant Kuehne+Nagel completed a big expansion at its complex in El Paso, opening a new site located adjacent to the company’s existing facility. Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 9 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for adjacent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for adjacent
Adjective
  • In cities like New York and Miami, there’s demand for adjoining apartments that can be combined to create multigenerational spaces.
    Bloomberg, Mercury News, 7 Jan. 2026
  • Just a regular day, said owner Randy Clement, who also co-owns the adjoining West Altadena Wine with his wife April.
    David Wilson, Daily News, 7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • The spectacle of Maduro being transported to a New York courthouse may draw inconvenient attention to Putin’s failure to successfully impose regime change on neighboring Ukraine.
    Nathan Hodge, CNN Money, 8 Jan. 2026
  • In neighboring Serbia, some western municipalities introduced emergency measures due to bad weather.
    Mike Corder, Los Angeles Times, 6 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Adjacent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adjacent. Accessed 14 Jan. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on adjacent

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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