FRONTIER Synonyms: 38 Similar and Opposite Words

frontier 1 of 2

noun

ˌfrən-ˈtir

Definition of frontier

as in border

a region along the dividing line between two countries the Apaches were once feared on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico frontier

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in countryside

a rural region that forms the edge of the settled or developed part of a country Alaska has been called America's last frontier

Synonyms & Similar Words

frontier

2 of 2

adjective

as in marginal

located at or near a border a frontier town with a reputation for vice and lawlessness

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 frontier

Noun

With its mission for safe AI and its unorthodox corporate structure, Anthropic’s Wall Street debut can be viewed as a guinea pig for AI frontier labs and how they are received by investors. — John Towfighi, CNN Money, 3 Nov. 2026 For luxury hotels, this could mean a new frontier in wellness, offering a way to build lasting relationships with affluent clients beyond the occasional stay. — Amy O’Brien, Vogue, 3 Nov. 2026

Adjective

That worried Huang, who fears a Chinese rival, and White House officials, who believe Chinese dependence on non-frontier American chips is the best way to ensure a lead in AI. — Charlie Campbell, Time, 11 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for frontier

Recent Examples of Synonyms for frontier

Noun

In their letter, the bishops attempted to balance human dignity and a right for governments to humanely protect borders.

— Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2026
Meanwhile, North Korea has been adding mines, barbed wire fences, tactical roads, anti-tank walls and other fortifications to what's already one of the world's most heavily armed borders.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of border

Noun

Three Houthi officials said the rebel group controls roughly 80% of the countryside surrounding Taiz and several key neighborhoods inside the city.

— ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
The group now runs 15 hotels throughout Europe, including city hotels in Paris, London, and Venice, countryside estates in the Cotswolds and Biarritz, mountain chalets in Verbier and Val d’Isère, and seaside resorts in Ibiza and Menorca.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of countryside

Adjective

Each marginal well produces only a little profit, so operators may not have much incentive to invest in repairs and upgrades, Miller says.

— Stephanie Pappas, Scientific American, 29 Oct. 2026
There is a marginal risk for excessive rainfall for much of east Central Florida and 20 percent chance of lightning in the forecast.

— Garfield Hylton, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Oct. 2026

Definition of marginal

Noun

There is no evidence that foreign countries intentionally emptied prisons or mental institutions and sent people to the United States.

— Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 2 Nov. 2026
State judges who take these cases look for proof that applicants cannot safely return to their home country, have been abused, abandoned or neglected by one or both parents, and that reunification with a parent is not possible.

— Sasha Allen, Hartford Courant, 1 Nov. 2026

Definition of country

Noun

The cosmonauts plonked down on November 19th, 1965 in the Midlands market town of Rugby, a cultural backwater best known for the sport, the school, and wartime poet Rupert Brooke, in that order.

— Gabriel Szatan, Pitchfork, 18 Oct. 2026
Navigate the biodiverse backwaters of Choctawhatchee Bay or visit Destin, the perfect beach town for kiteboarding and snorkeling.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of backwater

Noun

Through the spring and summer the forest in this mountain backcountry had been blessed with abundant rainfall and the wild creatures were busy reaping the berries, seeds and other browse.

— Charles Elliott, Outdoor Life, 5 Nov. 2026
In the winter, this is one-horse town completely transforms into a mecca for serious backcountry skiers.

— Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Oct. 2026

Definition of backcountry

Noun

Butler said there seemed to be no warning before the man was tossed into nearby bushes.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2026
Inspired by imagery in the folkloric tome Grimms’ Fairy Tales, the lights mimic thorny bushes like blackthorn and rose, both used in witchcraft.

— Francesca Perry, Vogue, 29 Oct. 2026

Definition of bush

Browse Nearby Words

fronted

frontier

frontiers

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Style

“Frontier.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frontier. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of frontier

noun

adjective

Example Sentences

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