border on
phrasal 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
Their swagger has bordered on arrogance throughout.
—
Gregg Evans, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
The lines themselves border on cliché; what gives them resonance is their context.
—Anna Wiener, New Yorker, 9 Apr. 2025
Those who worked with him speak not just of his racing mind, but his humor, his warmth, and a work ethic that bordered on legendary.
—Greg Engle, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
Working with one piece of gim at a time, evenly spread about 2/3 cup of the rice over the seaweed, leaving about a 2-inch border on the short side farther from you.
—The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for border on
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Gregg Evans, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
The lines themselves border on cliché; what gives them resonance is their context.
—Anna Wiener, New Yorker, 9 Apr. 2025
Those who worked with him speak not just of his racing mind, but his humor, his warmth, and a work ethic that bordered on legendary.
—Greg Engle, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
Working with one piece of gim at a time, evenly spread about 2/3 cup of the rice over the seaweed, leaving about a 2-inch border on the short side farther from you.
—The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Apr. 2025
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 21 Apr. 2025.
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