border on
verb
bordered on; bordering on; borders on
1
: to have a border on (something) : to lie on a boundary of (something)
The area my ancestors come from borders on the Atacama Desert.
2
: to be very like (something) : to come very close to being (something)
The play's dialog borders on the ridiculous.
an enthusiasm bordering on fanaticism
Examples of border on in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
At times, the tonal clash introduced by those pops of ultra-modernity borders on absurdism.
—
Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 30 Apr. 2026
The property is bordered on two sides by residences and on another by a country club, and it’s not zoned for industrial use.
—Jesse Wright, Chicago Tribune, 28 Apr. 2026
The souring of their relationship has at times bordered on the petty and personal.
—David Ingram, NBC news, 26 Apr. 2026
At times, the assistant borders on therapist.
—Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 24 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for border on
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Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 30 Apr. 2026
The property is bordered on two sides by residences and on another by a country club, and it’s not zoned for industrial use.
—Jesse Wright, Chicago Tribune, 28 Apr. 2026
The souring of their relationship has at times bordered on the petty and personal.
—David Ingram, NBC news, 26 Apr. 2026
At times, the assistant borders on therapist.
—Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 24 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for border on
Cite this Entry
“Border on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/border%20on. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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