as in frontier
located at or near a border
a borderline region that is claimed by both countries
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in almost
very close to but not completely
your answer was borderline rude, so I would advise you to be more diplomatic in the future
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in edge
the line or relatively narrow space that marks the outer limit of something
the actual borderline separating the two properties is now being disputed
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of borderline
Etiido Uko
march 23, New Atlas, 23 Mar. 2026
Boasting panoramic views of the water, beachfront dining, and a spa so relaxing as to be borderline lobotomizing, the hotel offers a stock photo of a vacation.
—Mattie Kahn, Vogue, 17 Mar. 2026
David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Oct. 2019
Both teams came out hitting to start Game 2 and the intensity jumped another level after McNabb’s borderline hit on Kuznetsov.
—Adam Candee, Detroit Free Press, 30 May 2018
Marie Iannotti, The Spruce, 9 May 2026
The Austrian Pavilion is probably the talk of the Biennale, featuring Florentina Holzinger’s batshit crazy, borderline unsafe performances.
—Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 8 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for borderline
Adjective
Harnessing the strange behavior of particles at the tiniest scales, quantum technologies are enabling applications that are borderline science fiction across various industries.
—Etiido Uko
march 23, New Atlas, 23 Mar. 2026
Boasting panoramic views of the water, beachfront dining, and a spa so relaxing as to be borderline lobotomizing, the hotel offers a stock photo of a vacation.
—Mattie Kahn, Vogue, 17 Mar. 2026
Adverb
Fringe-y/borderline/ticking-time-bomb people are always out there and probably have active imaginations that go way beyond what sometimes pops up in movies.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Oct. 2019
Both teams came out hitting to start Game 2 and the intensity jumped another level after McNabb’s borderline hit on Kuznetsov.
—Adam Candee, Detroit Free Press, 30 May 2018
Noun
In fact, in borderline zones, the extra insulation offered by the dead foliage may allow the plants to return in the spring when they would otherwise be grown as annuals.
—Marie Iannotti, The Spruce, 9 May 2026
The Austrian Pavilion is probably the talk of the Biennale, featuring Florentina Holzinger’s batshit crazy, borderline unsafe performances.
—Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 8 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for borderline
Recent Examples of Synonyms for borderline
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
Adverb
-
The Religion News Service reports the speakers are almost entirely conservative Christians, a key part of the president’s political base.—
Joseph Bonasia,
The Orlando Sentinel,
15 May 2026
-
This game may not carry the same weight, depending on the records of both teams going in, but the intrigue will almost certainly be there.—
Nicki Jhabvala,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
The stalemate that existed has been broken, and the Republicans now seem likely to obtain a meaningful edge heading into the midterms.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
15 May 2026
-
Among the various aspects of the movie that its English title refers to, not least is the unhinged rampage Lina unleashes at a couple of schoolgirls, a gringa loca on the razor’s edge.—
Sheri Linden,
HollywoodReporter,
14 May 2026
Adjective
-
The numbers themselves are marginal for 90-degree weather, including 850 mb temperatures being at just 17° C today.—
Ron Smiley,
CBS News,
18 May 2026
-
The Old English hymn, long treated as a marginal afterthought in later copies of Venerable Bede’s history, appears embedded in the main text.—
Andrea Rosa,
Los Angeles Times,
18 May 2026
Adverb
-
Built for a light and bouncy stride, these sneakers practically glide with you, making long travel days noticeably easier.—
Julia Morlino,
Travel + Leisure,
17 May 2026
-
The film had practically no marketing spend and reached audiences through Markiplier’s large social presence.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
17 May 2026
Noun
-
For a shape to be convex, any line between two points inside of it or on its perimeter must be fully ensconced within it.—
Joseph Howlett,
Scientific American,
19 May 2026
-
Crews provided structure protection and strengthened containment lines around the fire perimeter.—
Chelsea Hylton,
CBS News,
19 May 2026
Adverb
-
Yet she’s viewed, like everything else in the movie, with an adoration that is nearly transcendental.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
16 May 2026
-
No Stanley Cup since 1967, and the Maple Leafs went nearly 20 years between series wins between 2004 and 2023.—
Matt Reigle OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
16 May 2026
Noun
-
Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar said his new government has summoned the Russian ambassador over a drone attack near Hungary’s border, in a significant shift from his predecessor Viktor Orbán’s friendly relations with Moscow.—
Hanna Arhirova,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2026
-
The county is majority Republican, but the general sentiment was strongly opposed to a border barrier.—
Rachel Monroe,
New Yorker,
14 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Borderline.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/borderline. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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