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
Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 17 Feb. 2026
The arthouse references might sound arcane, but this is Chen’s most accessible and borderline commercial effort to date.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 16 Feb. 2026
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
Dane Mizutani, Twin Cities, 22 Mar. 2026
That was no different on Friday night, and the numbers were borderline unbelievable.
—Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 21 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for borderline
Adjective
For those of us of a certain age, the news of LaBeouf popping up at a random bar in a random city and wreaking havoc is borderline old-fashioned.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 17 Feb. 2026
The arthouse references might sound arcane, but this is Chen’s most accessible and borderline commercial effort to date.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 16 Feb. 2026
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
Fittingly, Battle ignited the rally by standing in and taking a charge on Cottie McMahon, who had proven to be borderline unstoppable throughout the game.
—Dane Mizutani, Twin Cities, 22 Mar. 2026
That was no different on Friday night, and the numbers were borderline unbelievable.
—Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 21 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for borderline
Recent Examples of Synonyms for borderline
Adjective
-
That worried Huang, who fears a Chinese rival, and White House officials, who believe Chinese dependence on non-frontier American chips is the best way to ensure a lead in AI.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
11 Dec. 2025
Adverb
-
But tropical activity that year, fueled by record warm oceans, ended up above-normal, defying almost all early forecasts.—
Mary Gilbert,
CNN Money,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Expect the 6,100-person stadium to hit capacity in hopes of an Aggies upset and some revenge against a coach who almost led A&M to a national title then left for their rival.—
Tony Catalina,
Austin American Statesman,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The company, Zhan expects, will be more efficient than other cutting-edge labs due to his experience building Gemini, which is Google’s artificial intelligence model.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
9 Apr. 2026
-
In men’s sports, fandom comes with much more of an edge.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Of course, many heading into those master’s degrees often majored in the same fields in undergraduate degrees, which already have high average annual earnings, explaining the marginal gains observed in the study.—
Jake Angelo,
Fortune,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Only a marginal threat of severe storms exists for parts of the East Coast, including eastern North Carolina, southeast Virginia and southern Maryland.—
Brandi D. Addison,
USA Today,
3 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
On that night 15 months ago, the French wunderkind accomplished a feat none of the others could, forcing Jokic to give up on the Sombor mid-shuffle with a close-out that practically reached into the upper deck.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
5 Apr. 2026
-
And practically any relief is welcome when the Chicago area’s property tax bills have shot up at twice the rate of inflation over the past three decades.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
One grows 600 plants in vertical rows stretching about 50 meters (yards) along a perimeter wall.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Officers set up a perimeter and began evacuating the people who lived nearby.—
Chelsea Hylton,
CBS News,
6 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
By morning, nearly six inches of fresh Colorado powder had settled over the car, frosting its sharp lines and futuristic shape like confectioner’s sugar on a pastry.—
Sponsored Content,
Denver Post,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Gamez has been a DART employee for nearly three decades.—
Erin Jones,
CBS News,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Hungarians living near the southern frontier, where Orbán made a show of building a border fence during the refugee crisis, are travelling to Croatia to buy cheap groceries.—
Kapil Komireddi,
New Yorker,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Under the leadership of former CEOs, including the late Thomas Storrs and Hugh McColl, Gentry was part of a team that expanded the bank far beyond North Carolina’s border.—
Chase Jordan
April 9,
Charlotte Observer,
9 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Borderline.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/borderline. Accessed 10 Apr. 2026.
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