border

noun bor·der \ ˈbȯr-dər \

Updated on: 4 Dec 2017

Definition of border

1 : an outer part or edge

at the borders of the forest

2 textiles : an ornamental design at the edge of a fabric or rug

3 : a narrow bed of planted ground along the edge of a lawn or walkway

a border of tulips

4 : boundary

on the border between New York and Canada

crossed the border into Italy

5 : a plain or decorative margin around printed matter

wedding invitations with a delicate gold leaf border

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bordered

play \-dərd\ adjective

See border defined for English-language learners

See border defined for kids

Examples of border in a Sentence

He grew up in Malaysia, near the Indonesian border.
They live just beyond the western border of the park.
the border of the Sahara
The quilt is quite plain except for its colorful border.
a broad red border on each plate
He planted pansies in the border.

Recent Examples of border from the Web

Planners approved the rezoning anyway The plan called for a four-story, 198-unit building on a nearly 10-acre tract at River Road and Forest Cove Lane just outside Prospect's border.

— sheldon s. shafer, The Courier-Journal, "Rejection of Prospect Cove proposal decried by affordable housing advocates," 31 Oct. 2017
And while President Trump released a long list of extreme demands for any DACA fix last month — including funding for a border wall and giant cuts to legal immigration — the Republican senators appeared much more flexible.

— eric levitz, Daily Intelligencer, "Senate Republicans Rule Out DACA Fix in Spending Bill," 3 Nov. 2017
The border wall prototypes were made exactly to specification: Four from concrete and four others from non-concrete materials that could be used for stretches of barrier that can be seen through.

— adam edelman, NBC News, "Trump’s Border Wall Prototypes Are Complete. Now What?," 28 Oct. 2017
Around 20 fellow scouts meticulously worked their way down the double row of markers along the cemetery's western border in groups, each taking on a small section of grave markers.

— carrie napoleon, Post-Tribune, "Scout, friends team up to maintain infant section of Hammond cemetery," 23 Oct. 2017
Other scouts asked political questions on the border wall, role of race in the Obama election, fracking, and dependence on fossil fuels.

— brittney mcnamara, Teen Vogue, "A Cub Scout Was Kicked Out of His Den For Asking a Senator About Gun Control," 23 Oct. 2017
White House aides have floated the idea of bundling the payments with funding for a border wall, though that proposal is toxic to Democrats.

— stephanie armour, WSJ, "Republicans Split Over Trump’s Move to End Health Subsidies," 13 Oct. 2017
President Donald Trump has made demands of funding for his border wall in exchange for his support on Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients.

— Bloomberg, "Trump Links DACA Support to Demand for Wall Funds," 9 Oct. 2017
The French-German border is littered with as many as 500 underground sites used during World War I. Researcher Jeff Gusky explores them and finds a vivid record of the lives the U.S. and German soldiers who fought here led.

— smithsonianmag.com, "What Did WWI Soldiers Leave Behind in Their Secret Bunkers?," 30 Sep. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'border.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of border

Middle English bordure, from Anglo-French, from border to border, from Old French bort border, of Germanic origin; probably akin to Old English bord board

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

See Words from the same year

border Synonyms

Synonyms

borderline, bound, boundary, brim, circumference, compass, confines, edge, edging, end, frame, fringe, hem, margin, perimeter, periphery, rim, skirt, skirting, verge

Related Words

ambit; brink, crest, curb, cusp, lip; ceiling, maximum; demarcation, extent, limitation, measure, mere, restriction, termination; borderland, frontier, march, outskirts, pale, selvage; lap; shore

Near Antonyms

center, core, heart; inner, inside, interior, middle, within

border

verb

Definition of border

bordered; bordering play \ˈbȯr-d(ə-)riŋ\

transitive verb

1 : to put a border on

a rug bordered with a pattern of leaves

bordered the garden with pansies

2 : to touch at the edge or boundary : bound

borders the city on the south

Slovenia borders Poland

intransitive verb

1 : to lie on the border

the U.S. borders on Canada

2 : to approach the nature of a specified thing : verge

borders on the ridiculous

—

borderer

play \-dər-ər\ noun

See border defined for English-language learners

Examples of border in a Sentence

Their property borders the park.
Tall trees border the avenue.
Two rivers border the city.

Recent Examples of border from the Web

Here, members of that audience greeted her with warmth bordering on reverence.

— jim fusilli, WSJ, "‘Turn Out the Lights’ by Julien Baker: Finding Hope in the Darkness," 26 Oct. 2017
Craig, the longtime NBA broadcaster who became known for outrageous suits and analytical courtside interviews, inspired more than his fair share of anecdotes, most of them bordering on outrageous.

— maria torres, kansascity, "Just before NBA season starts, Royals send sentimental gift to Craig Sager’s daughter," 17 Oct. 2017
Even before Russian soldiers started roaming neighboring Belarus, a former Soviet republic that borders three NATO and European Union states plus Ukraine, western leaders accused Putin of deceit.

— henry meyer, Bloomberg.com, "Putin Starts War Game on NATO Frontier, Alarming Wary Europe," 14 Sep. 2017
People briefly returned Sunday to some homes in the area, which included brick two-story and ranch homes bordering Buffalo Bayou, to try to salvage valuables.

— jay reeves, The Seattle Times, "Mayor says Houston ‘open for business’ despite huge hurdles," 3 Sep. 2017
Topping it with a pair of his Distortion candlesticks, which look like antique pieces that have suddenly gone loose and wobbly, creates a dining room that borders on the surreal.

— tim mckeough, ELLE Decor, "Classic Craftsmanship with a Modern Twist," 16 May 2011
All of it borders a 356-acre park designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux.

— steven kurutz, New York Times, "Once So Chic and Swooshy, Freeways Are Falling Out of Favor," 21 Oct. 2017
The central African nation, bordered by countries mired in conflict and revolt such as Libya, Sudan, and the Central African Republic, plays a big role regionally in the fight against terrorism.

— chicagotribune.com, "Why is Chad in Trump's new travel ban?," 25 Sep. 2017
That’s a huge jump from 2002, when 4,000 residents occupied the area bordered by the Missouri River, 31st Street, the state line and the 18th & Vine Jazz District.

— sarah gish and rick montgomery, kansascity, "Are downtown KC’s rents pricing out too much of the middle class?," 24 Sep. 2017