Definition of contiguousnext

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 Districts would no longer need to be compact, contiguous or required to respect geographic boundaries, allowing them to be drawn nearly any way our legislature finds convenient for its political aims. — Colin Pascal, Baltimore Sun, 7 Sep. 2026 In 2021, the city voted to permit recreational shooting on any private property within the city greater than 20 contiguous acres. — Idaho Statesman, 2 Sep. 2026 The expansion of settlements crisscrossing the West Bank threatened the hope of establishing a contiguous Palestinian state there. — David D. Kirkpatrick, New Yorker, 29 Aug. 2026 Prospective applicants for the program must submit industrial sites with a minimum of 30 acres of contiguous land, and the sites must be listed on the Arkansas Site Selection Database. — Dylan Sherman, Arkansas Online, 27 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for contiguous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contiguous
Adjective
  • Seven on-site townhomes adjacent to the hotel range from 2,500 to 3,500 square feet, each sporting three stories with an elevator and two-car garage.
    — Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Sep. 2026
  • The Houthis have already seized a long stretch of the Yemeni coastline adjacent to the Red Sea – one of the world’s most important waterways – and control the Bab al-Mandeb chokepoint at its southern end.
    — Tim Lister, CNN Money, 21 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • Zelenskyy said Ukrainian special forces struck the Kuibyshev oil refinery in Samara, southeast of Moscow, and another refinery in the neighboring Bashkortostan region in overnight attacks.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Many people in northern Ethiopia, including the neighboring regions of Amhara and Afar, were uprooted from their homes and tens of thousands of were believed to have been killed.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 19 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • The development combines The Butterfly residential tower with the adjoining First Baptist Church complex.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 23 Sep. 2026
  • According to fire officials, three restaurants occupy the building, and the fire extended through the space between the ceiling and the roof from one restaurant into the two adjoining restaurants.
    — Andrew Ramos, CBS News, 20 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Contiguous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contiguous. Accessed 29 Sep. 2026.

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