Synonym Chooser

How is the word contiguous different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of contiguous are adjacent, adjoining, and juxtaposed. While all these words mean "being in close proximity," contiguous implies having contact on all or most of one side.

offices in all 48 contiguous states

When might adjacent be a better fit than contiguous?

While in some cases nearly identical to contiguous, adjacent may or may not imply contact but always implies absence of anything of the same kind in between.

a house with an adjacent garage

When can adjoining be used instead of contiguous?

While the synonyms adjoining and contiguous are close in meaning, adjoining definitely implies meeting and touching at some point or line.

had adjoining rooms at the hotel

When would juxtaposed be a good substitute for contiguous?

The words juxtaposed and contiguous can be used in similar contexts, but juxtaposed means placed side by side especially so as to permit comparison and contrast.

a skyscraper juxtaposed to a church

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 contiguous In Ibsen’s play, set solely in two contiguous rooms in the Tesmans’ villa, George comes home after a highly eventful night of escapades that are left unseen and merely described to Hedda. Richard Brody, New Yorker, 17 Oct. 2025 Just, last month, 114 contiguous miles were reopened on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Briah Lumpkins, Charlotte Observer, 3 Oct. 2025 Once those long reads are obtained, powerful bioinformatics software is used to build longer stretches of contiguous sequence by overlapping reads that share the same sequence of bases. IEEE Spectrum, 2 Oct. 2025 Boundaries should emphasize factors such as compactness of the district, contiguous neighborhoods, preservation of communities of interest and substantially equal populations. Jan Goldsmith, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for contiguous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contiguous
Adjective
  • Less than two hours before the Raptors were scheduled to begin their home season with a game against the Milwaukee Bucks, head coach Darko Rajaković strolled into a small room adjacent to the team’s locker room, as usual.
    Eric Koreen, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
  • The swinging chair adjacent to the queen bed is another great spot to relax and recharge.
    Gabriela Ulloa, Architectural Digest, 25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • In addition to kidnappings, the gangs run extortion rings and control access to a key border crossing for commerce between Haiti and the neighboring Dominican Republic.
    Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 7 Nov. 2025
  • The left engine detached from the wing during takeoff, and the plane crashed moments after departure, colliding with structures in the neighboring industrial area to the south of the airport.
    Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • In 2010, Ladd, Bruce Dern, and their daughter were honored with adjoining stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, in a joint ceremony commemorating their indelible contributions to the art of acting.
    Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Nov. 2025
  • The extremely unimpressed hostess leads them away from the restaurant and up to an adjoining hotel suite, which Tallulah somehow managed to land for a mini surprise party.
    Caroline Framke, Vulture, 3 Nov. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Contiguous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contiguous. Accessed 9 Nov. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on contiguous

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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