Borderline
/ˈbɔːrdərlaɪn/
adjectiveIntermediateCommonGeneral
Meaning
Questions
Definitions
1
Very close to being something; on the edge or verge.
/ˈbɔːrdərlaɪn/
adjectiveneutralIntermediate
General
Being at the limit or edge of something.
Her actions were borderline illegal.
💡 Simply: Very near to; almost.
More Examples
2
The movie was borderline offensive.
How It's Used
Psychology
"His behavior was borderline psychotic."
General
"The quality of the product was borderline unacceptable."
From "border" + "line", indicating something that is on the edge or limit of something.
The word's usage has remained consistent in its core meaning since its coinage, largely focusing on the edge or limit of something.
Memory tip
Imagine a line marking a border – borderline things are right on that line.
Practice
borderlinbordrlineborder-line
Usage
40%Spoken
60%Written