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Added 2 October 2026

borderline

/ˈboɹ.dɚˌlaɪn/ adjective

Categories: Describing WordsUncommon Words

adjective Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about borderline at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

  1. Nearly; not clearly on one side or the other of a border or boundary, ambiguous.
    I would rather hire a talented layman than a university graduate with borderline qualifications.
  2. Of questionable taste or acceptability; approaching bad taste.
    Your borderline remarks about my aunt’s dress destroyed my evening.
  3. Exhibiting or characteristic of borderline personality disorder.

adverb

  1. Nearly; not entirely but nevertheless to a great extent.
    He is borderline hypoglycemic and needs to monitor his sugar intake.

noun

  1. A boundary or accepted division; a border.
    She lives on the borderline between reality and madness.
  2. Ellipsis of borderline personality disorder.
  3. A person who has borderline personality disorder.

verb

  1. To border, or border on; to be physically close or conceptually akin to.

Origin

From border + line.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

Related Words: delimitationminimalminimumbordermarginaldistinctionseparatinglimitedlimitationlimitingmarginalized

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