as in adopts
to take for one's own use (something originated by another)
borrowed the basic plot from a book of tales, but put her personal stamp on the story
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Recent Examples of borrows
This iteration borrows its print from Schumacher’s historic textiles.
—
Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 31 Mar. 2026
This new vessel borrows DNA from the Jiaolong and Deep Sea Warrior, the country’s record-breaking scientific deep-sea submersibles.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 23 Mar. 2026
Beauty of Joseon borrows from that history but gives it a modern spin, blending classic botanicals with modern ingredients that feel easy to layer into a routine.
—Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 21 Mar. 2026
While the traditional pageboy bob is a bit shorter (usually skimming the jaw, à la Hadid’s recent chop), Margot Robbie’s version borrows its unstructured shape and soft layering.
—Grace McCarty, Glamour, 9 Mar. 2026
This form of journalistic storytelling borrows literary techniques to create reality effects, producing the illusion of direct contact with reality.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 6 Mar. 2026
Like much of today’s country music, his sound borrows heavily from pop and hip-hop.
—Joey Guerra, Houston Chronicle, 5 Mar. 2026
What is the truth, what is the lie, and how photography historically borrows the sense of truth and reality in order to tell lies, in order to seduce people to do things.
—Caterina De Biasio, Vogue, 23 Feb. 2026
Virtually all of Kin borrows its distortion and unstable vibrations, making the new record a far less soothing listen than its predecessor.
—Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 21 Feb. 2026
Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 31 Mar. 2026
This new vessel borrows DNA from the Jiaolong and Deep Sea Warrior, the country’s record-breaking scientific deep-sea submersibles.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 23 Mar. 2026
Beauty of Joseon borrows from that history but gives it a modern spin, blending classic botanicals with modern ingredients that feel easy to layer into a routine.
—Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 21 Mar. 2026
While the traditional pageboy bob is a bit shorter (usually skimming the jaw, à la Hadid’s recent chop), Margot Robbie’s version borrows its unstructured shape and soft layering.
—Grace McCarty, Glamour, 9 Mar. 2026
This form of journalistic storytelling borrows literary techniques to create reality effects, producing the illusion of direct contact with reality.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 6 Mar. 2026
Like much of today’s country music, his sound borrows heavily from pop and hip-hop.
—Joey Guerra, Houston Chronicle, 5 Mar. 2026
What is the truth, what is the lie, and how photography historically borrows the sense of truth and reality in order to tell lies, in order to seduce people to do things.
—Caterina De Biasio, Vogue, 23 Feb. 2026
Virtually all of Kin borrows its distortion and unstable vibrations, making the new record a far less soothing listen than its predecessor.
—Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 21 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for borrows
Verb
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The City Council adopts budgets every other year for the next two fiscal years and makes adjustments in response to factors such as actual receipts and market conditions.—
Luke Harold,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 Mar. 2026
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Its main platform adopts a semi-submersible twin-hull design, engineered for stability in harsh sea conditions while enabling large-scale testing of deep-sea equipment weighing hundreds of tons.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Designed by the architecture firm Minarc with interiors by MYMM, the home embraces a welcoming Scandi-chic aesthetic.—
Tori Latham,
Robb Report,
2 Apr. 2026
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Romeo leaps to his feet and embraces Juliet, both of them saved; Juliet-as-an-old-woman appears and dances with Romeo as an older Romeo does the same with Juliet; Romeo and Juliet dote over a baby that will never be born.—
Ellise Shafer,
Variety,
1 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Borrows.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/borrows. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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