as in marginal
located at or near a border
a frontier town with a reputation for vice and lawlessness
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
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
2
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of frontier
Charlie Campbell, Time, 11 Dec. 2025
Literary Hub, 18 Mar. 2026
The specialized hardware required for frontier AI — manufactured by only a handful of companies worldwide — makes such oversight feasible.
—J. Xavier Prochaska, Mercury News, 18 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for frontier
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
Noun
Heidi is the empowered frontier woman, setting off from her parents’ Colorado lodge to reinvent everything about herself out west with a wild man.
—Literary Hub, 18 Mar. 2026
The specialized hardware required for frontier AI — manufactured by only a handful of companies worldwide — makes such oversight feasible.
—J. Xavier Prochaska, Mercury News, 18 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for frontier
Recent Examples of Synonyms for frontier
Adjective
-
For investors prioritizing a slightly higher customer satisfaction score, Goldco may have a marginal edge, while Birch Gold Group’s long-standing presence and consistent reviews may appeal to those focused on stability and track record.—
Nick Perry,
USA Today,
23 Mar. 2026
-
The problem is that most privates and corporals face a 10% marginal federal income tax rate at most.—
Edward Lotterman,
Twin Cities,
22 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
In March 1978, three years into the Lebanese Civil War, Israel occupied south Lebanon for the first time in an effort to push back Palestinian militants from its northern border.—
Asher Kaufman,
The Conversation,
20 Mar. 2026
-
Schnabel, though a Brooklyn native, grew up in the surfing border town of Brownsville, TX, a place that inspired him as both a painter and a filmmaker.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
19 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
This 1830s-era home on the property of Pickett Hill Farm is quintessential countryside.—
Nicole Kliest,
Vogue,
19 Mar. 2026
-
Maiduguri has been at the heart of deadly violence in Nigeria in the past, but has experienced relative peace in recent years, even as the countryside is often battered by extremists.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
18 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Umerov, the secretary of Ukraine’s national security and defense council, visited the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and Jordan in the past week and said the drone defenses were deployed in those countries.—
Cybele Mayes-Osterman,
USA Today,
21 Mar. 2026
-
In a telephone interview with Kyodo News on Friday, Araghchi denied closing the passageway, insisting instead that countries attacking Iran face restrictions, while others were being offered assistance.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
21 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
At that time, in the 1920s, France was really a backwater in theoretical physics.—
Tim Folger,
Scientific American,
16 Mar. 2026
-
But Dublin was a European backwater then.—
Jody Mamone,
Hartford Courant,
16 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Orlando was considered the hinterlands.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
1 Mar. 2026
-
Expertise was often distributed between cities and their hinterlands, with cities functioning as hubs in cross-continental product networks.—
R. Alexander Bentley,
The Conversation,
26 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The biggest red flag for backcountry travelers is rapidly softening snow.—
Callie Zanandrie,
CBS News,
20 Mar. 2026
-
Remarkably, Wilderness Travel is one of just a handful of companies offering backcountry excursions here.—
The Editors,
Outside,
18 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
My hibiscus bush lost all its leaves during the cold.—
Tom MacCubbin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
21 Mar. 2026
-
While her skin-tight gold Gucci gown caused all the right commotion, the reality TV star missed her mark and fell into a bush while heading into the ultra-exclusive Vanity Fair soirée in Los Angeles.—
Tracy Wright,
FOXNews.com,
18 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Frontier.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frontier. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.
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