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
The line borders on saccharine, and will probably make those less tolerant of sappiness cringe.
—
Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 12 June 2025
Since then, the poster has noticed a shift in Liz’s attitude, sometimes even bordering on hostility.
—Ashley Vega, People.com, 2 June 2025
The minimalist mule style featured a pointed sole and a simple transparent toe strap with borders on either side.
—Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 20 May 2025
Netanyahu is preparing to re-invade Gaza with a plan to herd the Palestinian population there into a tiny corner, with the Mediterranean Sea one side and the Egyptian border on the other — while also advancing de facto annexation at ever greater speed and breadth in the West Bank.
—Thomas Friedman, Mercury News, 11 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for border on
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Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 12 June 2025
Since then, the poster has noticed a shift in Liz’s attitude, sometimes even bordering on hostility.
—Ashley Vega, People.com, 2 June 2025
The minimalist mule style featured a pointed sole and a simple transparent toe strap with borders on either side.
—Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 20 May 2025
Netanyahu is preparing to re-invade Gaza with a plan to herd the Palestinian population there into a tiny corner, with the Mediterranean Sea one side and the Egyptian border on the other — while also advancing de facto annexation at ever greater speed and breadth in the West Bank.
—Thomas Friedman, Mercury News, 11 May 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 20 Jun. 2025.
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