adjoining

adjective

ad·​join·​ing ə-ˈjȯi-niŋ How to pronounce adjoining (audio)
a-
Synonyms of adjoiningnext
: touching or bounding at a point or line
Choose the Right Synonym for adjoining

adjacent, adjoining, contiguous, juxtaposed mean being in close proximity.

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

adjoining definitely implies meeting and touching at some point or line.

had adjoining rooms at the hotel

contiguous implies having contact on all or most of one side.

offices in all 48 contiguous states

juxtaposed means placed side by side especially so as to permit comparison and contrast.

a skyscraper juxtaposed to a church

Examples of adjoining in a Sentence

the cows had broken through the fence and were grazing in the adjoining field
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Ahmed’s family of ten—the couple has seven children, and also cares for Ahmed’s elderly father—lives in two adjoining caravans made of metal sheets. Annie Hylton, New Yorker, 14 May 2026 The kitchen and its adjoining breakfast room now serve as the center of the home and come complete with a four-oven Aga along with Sub-Zero and Bosch appliances. Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 13 May 2026 The formal living room has floral wallpaper, wide-plank wood floors, crown molding, and built-ins; the high-end kitchen features marble counters, a butcher-block island, and an adjoining dining area with French doors. The Week Us, TheWeek, 11 May 2026 Yoga classes teach ways to keep the decompression going at home, and guests can swing away at the adjoining golf course. Jess Hoffert, Midwest Living, 9 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for adjoining

Word History

Etymology

Middle English adjoynyng, from present participle of adjoynen "to adjoin"

First Known Use

1577, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of adjoining was in 1577

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Cite this Entry

“Adjoining.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/adjoining. Accessed 21 May. 2026.

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