as in frontier
located at or near a border
a borderline region that is claimed by both countries
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in almost
very close to but not completely
your answer was borderline rude, so I would advise you to be more diplomatic in the future
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in edge
the line or relatively narrow space that marks the outer limit of something
the actual borderline separating the two properties is now being disputed
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of borderline
Samantha MacAvoy, Good Housekeeping, 18 Jan. 2023
Four large and filling barbecue pork buns were a borderline preposterous $8.
—oregonlive, 7 Jan. 2023
David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Oct. 2019
Both teams came out hitting to start Game 2 and the intensity jumped another level after McNabb’s borderline hit on Kuznetsov.
—Adam Candee, Detroit Free Press, 30 May 2018
Robert Marvi, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Sep. 2025
Trump’s accelerationist instincts, the zeal of his fan base, and the complicity, cowardice, and inaction of the Democratic Party in the face of the governing Republican trifecta made the possibility of a military dictatorship in the United States seem borderline plausible.
—Seth Harp, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for borderline
Adjective
These tasty morsels are glazed with a sticky sweet cola- and soy sauce-mixture that packs a borderline obscene amount of garlic (six whole cloves!).
—Samantha MacAvoy, Good Housekeeping, 18 Jan. 2023
Four large and filling barbecue pork buns were a borderline preposterous $8.
—oregonlive, 7 Jan. 2023
Adverb
Fringe-y/borderline/ticking-time-bomb people are always out there and probably have active imaginations that go way beyond what sometimes pops up in movies.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Oct. 2019
Both teams came out hitting to start Game 2 and the intensity jumped another level after McNabb’s borderline hit on Kuznetsov.
—Adam Candee, Detroit Free Press, 30 May 2018
Noun
The organization has built an impressive upstart roster around Cade Cunningham, who ascended to borderline superstar status last season.
—Robert Marvi, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Sep. 2025
Trump’s accelerationist instincts, the zeal of his fan base, and the complicity, cowardice, and inaction of the Democratic Party in the face of the governing Republican trifecta made the possibility of a military dictatorship in the United States seem borderline plausible.
—Seth Harp, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for borderline
Recent Examples of Synonyms for borderline
Adverb
-
There is, however, a region in its atmosphere at an altitude of over 31 miles (50 kilometers), where the temperature and pressure are almost Earth-like.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
1 Oct. 2025
-
The heartwarming footage quickly went viral earning over 1 million views and almost 19,500 likes since it was posted on September 27.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The fear of a man with a single foot over a cliff edge.—
Lizz Schumer,
PEOPLE,
26 Sep. 2025
-
The Lexington community, still reeling from a 5-year-old’s death in a home explosion five months ago, is on edge after gas lines continue to get hit by companies installing fiber optic cables.—
Kendrick Calfee,
Kansas City Star,
26 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Even a marginal upgrade in the rotation, like Andrew Heaney, might have helped to stabilize a starting staff that lacked depth in September.—
Andrew Baggarly,
New York Times,
29 Sep. 2025
-
After years of marginal success, the movement has gained more attention and traction since the war in Gaza began.—
Lauren Kent,
CNN Money,
28 Sep. 2025
Adverb
-
Musk became practically a full-time litigant.—
Jacob Silverman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Oct. 2025
-
Kistore Cropped Cardigan A cropped cardigan is such a space-saver in your carry-on, and this navy version goes with practically anything.—
Rosie Marder,
Travel + Leisure,
30 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The percentage tells the public how much of the fire perimeter is believed to not go beyond the control lines.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
25 Sep. 2025
-
Officials established a perimeter and a search began with canines and drones in the area.—
Samira Asma-Sadeque,
PEOPLE,
24 Sep. 2025
Adverb
-
Intel rallied over 20% in the past week and has seen a year-to-date gain of nearly 80%.—
Lim Hui Jie,
CNBC,
29 Sep. 2025
-
On a protein kick like nearly everyone else?—
Mike Snider,
USA Today,
29 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Adult box tree moths are white with a brown border, according to ODA, and are highly mobile.—
Chad Murphy,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
2 Oct. 2025
-
The Department of Defense has prioritized border security, Middle East operations, and the Golden Dome missile defense system in its shutdown strategy.—
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Oct. 2025
Adverb
-
Don’t pull over in the roundabout Roundabouts with a single lane of traffic in each direction are fairly simple – yield to traffic in the roundabout, wait for a gap in traffic and go through, Bryson said.—
Eric D. Lawrence,
USA Today,
28 Sep. 2025
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The altitude is low enough to allow for things like satellites to circle Earth fairly quickly.—
Eric Lagatta,
AZCentral.com,
27 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Borderline.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/borderline. Accessed 3 Oct. 2025.
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