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
Last year, the landlocked kingdom bordered on all sides by South Africa with a population of 2.3 million people, celebrated 200 years of the founding of the Basotho nation and 58 years of independence from British rule.
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Michelle Gumede and Mogomotsi Magome, Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2025
Last year’s Reds dealt with injuries, bad defense, and aggressive base running that sometimes bordered on reckless, among other issues.
—C. Trent Rosecrans, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2025
These homeowners created a fresh take by incorporating green penny tiles in the black-and-white borders on the shower and bathroom floor.
—Emily Williams, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Mar. 2025
Water, was detained for 12 days after attempting to renew her work visa at the U.S.-Mexico border on March 3.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 18 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for border on
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Michelle Gumede and Mogomotsi Magome, Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2025
Last year’s Reds dealt with injuries, bad defense, and aggressive base running that sometimes bordered on reckless, among other issues.
—C. Trent Rosecrans, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2025
These homeowners created a fresh take by incorporating green penny tiles in the black-and-white borders on the shower and bathroom floor.
—Emily Williams, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Mar. 2025
Water, was detained for 12 days after attempting to renew her work visa at the U.S.-Mexico border on March 3.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 18 Mar. 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 13 Apr. 2025.
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