Synonyms of borrow

borrow

verb

ˈbär-(ˌ)ō 

as in to adopt

to take for one's own use (something originated by another)

borrowed the basic plot from a book of tales, but put her personal stamp on the story

Synonyms & Similar Words

• adopt
• embrace
• take up
• cultivate
• use
• assimilate
• take on
• utilize
• follow
• copy
• imitate
• incorporate
• pick up on
• espouse
• absorb
• quote
• usurp
• appropriate
• treasure
• honor
• cherish
• raise
• heed
• take over
• domesticate
• prize
• pretend
• assume
• affect
• naturalize
• arrogate
• simulate
• foster
• nurture
• put on
• bring up
• rear

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• abandon
• relinquish
• forsake
• give up
• surrender
• reject
• disown
• renounce
• repudiate
• abjure
• spurn
• discard
• throw away
• jettison
• throw out
• abnegate
• junk

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of borrow

Some analysts warned that the company’s July 1 pricing change pulled renewals forward, potentially borrowing backlog strength from later quarters. — Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 23 July 2026

Adults are borrowing the idea to counter hours of sitting and slouching. — Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 23 July 2026

The samples scattered throughout the album, borrowed from ghost-hunting TV programs and direct quotes from Schwartz’s audiobooks, heighten this tension. — Jude Noel, Pitchfork, 22 July 2026

People who owe these criminal justice debts may rely on borrowing money from friends and family members. — Brian Lawton, The Conversation, 22 July 2026