CONTIGUOUS Synonyms: 85 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

contiguous

adjective

kən-ˈti-gyə-wəs

Definition of contiguous next

as in adjacent

having a border in common Connecticut and Massachusetts are contiguous states

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 The warming temperatures along the East Coast follow the hottest March in the contiguous United States since records started over 130 years ago. —

Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 11 Apr. 2026 At 516 feet in width, the unusual structure is roughly 22,000 times smaller than the actual Moon, which with a diameter of 2,159 miles could roughly fit the contiguous United States across one of its halves from east to west. —

Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 9 Apr. 2026 While that might sound arbitrary, this movement of heat energy in the world’s largest ocean plays a big role in how global atmospheric circulations are formed, including across the contiguous United States. —

Anthony Franze, San Antonio Express-News, 7 Apr. 2026 Wallack owns an additional 29-acre parcel that’s contiguous to Breezy Oaks, which is available for $6 million more. —

Catherine Odom, Miami Herald, 6 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for contiguous

Recent Examples of Synonyms for contiguous

Adjective

French doors lead to the gardens and stone walls at the rear of the Mansion, while a butler’s pantry and dry bar, with its extensive additional cabinetry, are adjacent to the kitchen.

— James Alexander, Hartford Courant, 19 Apr. 2026
But part of the deal involves the purchase of the adjacent Blue Cross and Blue Shield building (to be demolished) along with its parking.

— Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 19 Apr. 2026