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 The arch is proposed for a circle adjacent to the Memorial Bridge, which is a heavy traffic area as one of a handful of connecting bridges between the nation’s capital and northern Virginia. — Seung Min Kim, Fortune, 20 Sep. 2026 The arch, proposed for a circle adjacent to the Memorial Bridge, is one of several projects that the Republican president is pursuing to leave his lasting imprint on Washington. — ABC News, 20 Sep. 2026 Ron Malden, president of an adjacent condominium association, spoke in support of the project and its big and bright sign. — Miami Herald, 19 Sep. 2026 In fact, both Van Valkenburgh and Stepka’s real estate office is adjacent to the bookshop. — Pamela Brown, Hartford Courant, 19 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for adjacent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for adjacent
Adjective
  • Lin could not identify the shooter, but said the shooter was likely one of two brothers who lived on the adjoining property on Karina Drive near County Road A-12, the Sheriff’s Office said.
    — Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Druid Hill Park itself has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1973, and the adjoining Auchentoroly Terrace Historic District was added to the National Register in 2015.
    — Lawrence Bell, Baltimore Sun, 15 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • Zelenskyy said Ukrainian special forces struck the Kuibyshev oil refinery in Samara, southeast of Moscow, and another refinery in the neighboring Bashkortostan region in overnight attacks.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Many people in northern Ethiopia, including the neighboring regions of Amhara and Afar, were uprooted from their homes and tens of thousands of were believed to have been killed.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 19 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Adjacent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adjacent. Accessed 25 Sep. 2026.

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