borderline 1 of 3

Definition of borderlinenext
as in frontier
located at or near a border a borderline region that is claimed by both countries

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

borderline

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adverb

borderline

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noun

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 borderline
Adjective
As a result, some players who may be borderline prospects, or ones who simply wish to raise their draft stock and have more years of college eligibility, are choosing to stay in school while not missing out on a payday the NFL can provide. Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 27 Apr. 2026 To that end, the writer-director, Chandler Levack, establishes an agreeably slapdash attitude of hedonistic adventure, one that’s often intentionally borderline cringe. Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 12 Apr. 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
Ohtani quickly fell behind 3-0, with the first and third pitches borderline calls on 98 mph fastballs that home plate umpire Felix Neon ruled balls. ABC News, 10 June 2026 But to focus only on the destination along this enchanting highway is borderline criminal. David Amsden, Travel + Leisure, 10 June 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
  • Which side of a sun shade faces out Not using a sunshade properly almost defeats the purpose of using one at all.
    Cody Godwin, USA Today, 26 June 2026
  • Your chance to take up to 70 percent off brands like Samsonite, Vionic, and New Balance is almost gone.
    Jasmine Gomez, Travel + Leisure, 26 June 2026
Noun
  • The Americans came out energized in the second half and a Berhalter banger from the edge of the penalty area tied it up 2-2 in the 49th minute.
    Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 26 June 2026
  • The Samurai Blue have the edge on shots, 2-1, but Sweden has the lone shot on target so far through 25 minutes.
    Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 June 2026
Adjective
  • But in most of the country, the AI infrastructure boom has likely had a more marginal impact on electricity prices compared to grid damage sustained by extreme weather events or the costs of utility companies’ capital expenditures that are passed on to consumers.
    Tristan Bove, Fortune, 22 June 2026
  • The $100 won will be considered taxable income and subject to taxation at the taxpayer’s marginal tax rate.
    Nathan Goldman, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026
Adverb
  • Track Shorts and Button-Downs I’ve used track shorts and oversized button-downs as my go-to uniform since spring, practically becoming a cartoon character by rewearing the same outfit over and over.
    Irene Richardson, InStyle, 21 June 2026
  • At one point, Witherspoon was asked a question about the impact of her iconic fashionista lawyer and practically burst into tears.
    Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 21 June 2026
Noun
  • Following multiple 911 calls, officers arrived at the scene and set up a perimeter.
    Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 24 June 2026
  • The sheriff's office said deputies established a perimeter in the area and were actively searching for the suspect or suspects.
    Richard Ramos, CBS News, 23 June 2026
Adverb
  • Centrist Paz took office seven months ago, inheriting the country’s worst economic crisis in a generation that helped propel the end of nearly two decades of leftist rule.
    Helen Regan, CNN Money, 20 June 2026
  • Thick black smoke and flames on Friday returned to the Boyle Heights warehouse that has been at the center of a nearly three-day firefight.
    Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 20 June 2026
Noun
  • Tucked along the Green River, not far from the Utah-Wyoming border, the refuge serves as a vital sanctuary for migratory birds and threatened species like the bald eagle.
    Jamie Siebrase, Denver Post, 26 June 2026
  • Allowed Trump to turn back asylum-seekers at the southern border and to immediately halt temporary protection from deportation for Syrians and Haitians.
    Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 26 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Borderline.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/borderline. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.

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