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 Winfrey retained the two adjacent cottages, selling them separately to her longtime property manager, making the compound’s total sale around $17 million. Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 24 Oct. 2025 The Jacqueline Kennedy Garden -- established by first lady Edith Roosevelt in 1903 adjacent to the East Wing -- was also leveled during the demolition, according to satellite images. Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2025 Located on a limited-access street off Kossow Road — along the same stretch where the Marcus Westown Theatre and Gander Mountain (now Urban Air Adventure Park) once operated — Pet World is the only remaining retailer adjacent Waukesha's oldest Target store. Jim Riccioli, jsonline.com, 23 Oct. 2025 Now for your weekly food and food-adjacent news. Mackensy Lunsford, Nashville Tennessean, 23 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for adjacent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for adjacent
Adjective
  • In 2010, Ladd, Bruce Dern, and their daughter were honored with adjoining stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, in a joint ceremony commemorating their indelible contributions to the art of acting.
    Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Nov. 2025
  • The extremely unimpressed hostess leads them away from the restaurant and up to an adjoining hotel suite, which Tallulah somehow managed to land for a mini surprise party.
    Caroline Framke, Vulture, 3 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • In addition to kidnappings, the gangs run extortion rings and control access to a key border crossing for commerce between Haiti and the neighboring Dominican Republic.
    Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 7 Nov. 2025
  • The left engine detached from the wing during takeoff, and the plane crashed moments after departure, colliding with structures in the neighboring industrial area to the south of the airport.
    Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 7 Nov. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Adjacent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adjacent. Accessed 9 Nov. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on adjacent

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!