Borderline
/ˈbɔːrdərlaɪn/
adjectiveIntermediate📊CommonDescription
1 meaning2 questions
Definitions
1
Very close to being something; on the edge or verge.
/ˈbɔːrdərlaɪn/
adjectiveneutralIntermediate
Description
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."
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
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.
Word Origin
Original meaning
"The combination of 'border' and 'line' creates a literal and figurative sense of being at the edge or limit."
borderline caseborderline personality disorderborderline unacceptable
Common misspellings
borderlinbordrlineborder-line
Practice
Usage
40%Spoken
60%Written