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
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
Etiido Uko
march 23, New Atlas, 23 Mar. 2026
Boasting panoramic views of the water, beachfront dining, and a spa so relaxing as to be borderline lobotomizing, the hotel offers a stock photo of a vacation.
—Mattie Kahn, Vogue, 17 Mar. 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
CBS News, 10 May 2026
In fact, in borderline zones, the extra insulation offered by the dead foliage may allow the plants to return in the spring when they would otherwise be grown as annuals.
—Marie Iannotti, The Spruce, 9 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for borderline
Adjective
Harnessing the strange behavior of particles at the tiniest scales, quantum technologies are enabling applications that are borderline science fiction across various industries.
—Etiido Uko
march 23, New Atlas, 23 Mar. 2026
Boasting panoramic views of the water, beachfront dining, and a spa so relaxing as to be borderline lobotomizing, the hotel offers a stock photo of a vacation.
—Mattie Kahn, Vogue, 17 Mar. 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
That is a kind of granular intelligence that is borderline miraculous in the modern world.
—CBS News, 10 May 2026
In fact, in borderline zones, the extra insulation offered by the dead foliage may allow the plants to return in the spring when they would otherwise be grown as annuals.
—Marie Iannotti, The Spruce, 9 May 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
-
The budget proposed by the mayor this spring prioritizes firefighting, law enforcement and infrastructure projects — requiring significant cuts almost everywhere else.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 May 2026
-
Fortified wines like sweet and dry vermouth, sherry, Marsala, Madeira, and port last almost indefinitely unopened.—
Kait Hanson,
Southern Living,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
The mattress on the bed was a little short and my bare feet hung off the edge, beyond the light white sheet.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 May 2026
-
All that was left of the snow was shoveled into melting mounds at the edges of intersections and crosswalks.—
Jourdan Rodrigue,
New York Times,
28 May 2026
Adjective
-
In that setting, the marginal value of additional internal data begins to decline, while the value of an external perspective increases.—
Henrik Totterman,
Forbes.com,
24 May 2026
-
At some point, the bracket creep is going to overreach into the point of diminishing marginal returns — dulling regular seasons and perhaps ultimately even eventually interest in the postseasons.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
24 May 2026
Adverb
-
This classic potato salad was practically made to be a church potluck staple.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
24 May 2026
-
The symbol itself practically smiles at you.—
Robert Daugherty,
Forbes.com,
24 May 2026
Noun
-
Even Donovan Mitchell’s 31-point performance wasn’t enough to keep Cleveland competitive as the Knicks’ defense smothered the Cavaliers’ perimeter attack for the fourth straight game.—
Alejandro Avila,
FOXNews.com,
26 May 2026
-
Establishing a perimeter would seem to be the first manifestation of a safety zone on the lunar surface, although Isaacman would not confirm this when asked directly.—
Andrew Cunningham,
ArsTechnica,
26 May 2026
Adverb
-
The White House has asked for nearly $2 billion in next year’s budget for R&D and advance procurement of the Defiant class.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
30 May 2026
-
At its height nearly 20 years ago, India’s leader described the Maoists as the country’s biggest internal security threat, a blight on its status as the world’s largest democracy and its aspirations of becoming a global power.—
Dhruv Tikekar,
CNN Money,
30 May 2026
Noun
-
Tucked in the northeastern part of Congo close to the Ugandan border, Ituri province has been reeling from attacks by the Allied Democratic Force, a rebel group allied with the Islamic State group, and a coalition of ethnic militias.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 May 2026
-
The programs on opposite sides of the Missouri-Kansas border will play the neutral-site game at T-Mobile Center.—
Killian Wright,
Kansas City Star,
28 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Borderline.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/borderline. Accessed 31 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
