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
Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 12 Apr. 2026
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
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
Liana Handler, Los Angeles Times, 7 June 2026
New York City summers are borderline heinous.
—Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 7 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for borderline
Adjective
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
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
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
Rushing, seemingly not pleased with a borderline check-swing call, argued with Iassogna.
—Liana Handler, Los Angeles Times, 7 June 2026
New York City summers are borderline heinous.
—Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 7 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for borderline
Recent Examples of Synonyms for borderline
Adjective
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That’s what makes both marginal figures like Ormond and fundamental ones like the two antiheroines so important.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
15 June 2026
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And even if that were to occur, the rate differential is likely to be marginal.—
Matt Richardson,
CBS News,
15 June 2026
Adverb
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The children’s home that Rudyka oversaw was in Sumy, a city in northern Ukraine that was almost completely surrounded by Russian troops in the first days of the full-scale invasion in early 2022.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN Money,
12 June 2026
-
At the 1958 World Cup, a 17-year-old played his way onto the field for Brazil and spurred them to win the whole tournament, almost single-handedly.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
12 June 2026
Noun
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The ball ricocheted to the edge of the infield grass, where first baseman Freddie Freeman picked it up.—
Maddie Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
12 June 2026
-
Rainwater tends to stockpile on the edges of roads.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
12 June 2026
Adverb
-
Madeira is bright, nutty, and practically indestructible.—
Emily Price,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
-
Because they are baked rather than flash-fried, the wings develop a tender, juicy texture where the meat practically falls right off the bone.—
Justin Brown – The Real Food Stalker,
AJC.com,
14 June 2026
Noun
-
The plane overran the runway, punched through a perimeter fence and came to rest in an airport parking lot, where firefighters extricated the pilot.—
Karen Garcia,
Los Angeles Times,
16 June 2026
-
Before co-headlining Denmark’s Roskilde Festival with Bruce Springsteen, The Roots were performing in tents beyond the festival's main perimeter.—
Ime Ekpo,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
Adverb
-
On Thursday morning, photos showed floodwater had nearly risen to the top of the garage door.—
Evan Bush,
NBC news,
12 Dec. 2025
-
His guilty verdict came nearly two years after the January 2024 killing of 25-year-old Kierra Lane at her home in Covington.—
Quinlan Bentley,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
12 Dec. 2025
Noun
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This year’s Shakespeare in the Park season opens with a Romeo and Juliet set against the striking backdrop of a desert border wall.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
12 June 2026
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Though, obviously, the Biden administration would never have even pretended to care about the integrity of America's borders.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
12 June 2026
Adverb
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Given their international teams are expected to go far, the chances of Pedro Porro (Spain), Cristian Romero (Argentina), Richarlison (Brazil) and Micky van de Ven (the Netherlands) turning out in Sydney are fairly slim.—
Jack Pitt-Brooke,
New York Times,
12 Dec. 2025
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Tools & Materials Needed The good news is that cleaning your bathroom exhaust fan is a fairly easy DIY task!—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
11 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Borderline.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/borderline. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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