adjoin
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to be close to or in contact with; abut on.
His property adjoins the lake.
-
to attach or append; affix.
verb (used without object)
verb
-
to be next to (an area of land, etc)
-
to join; affix or attach
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Conjugated Forms
Present
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have adjoinedperfect
-
has adjoinedperfect 3rd person singular
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have been adjoiningperfect progressive
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has been adjoiningperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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are adjoiningprogressive
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adjoinssingular 3rd person
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am adjoiningprogressive 1st person singular
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is adjoiningprogressive 3rd person singular
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adjoiningparticiple
Past
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had adjoinedperfect
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had been adjoiningperfect progressive
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were adjoiningprogressive plural
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adjoinedsimple
-
adjoinedparticiple
-
was adjoiningprogressive singular
Future
Etymology
Origin of adjoin
1275–1325; Middle English a ( d ) joinen < Middle French ajoindre. See ad-, join
Explanation
Things that adjoin are next to each other or share a boundary. Two adjoining states are neighbors. The United States adjoins Canada. Just as the word join suggests togetherness, things that adjoin are together in a specific way. They're adjacent, which means they're butting right up against one other. Two adjoining buildings are connected or next-door neighbors. Two adjoining states share a border. If two rooms adjoin, they are connected by a door or they share a wall. When things adjoin, they have a physical connection.
Vocabulary lists containing adjoin
Close Encounters: Synonyms for "Near"
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The Dawes Act
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The Marrow Thieves
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The witness was also asked by the lawyer about safety issues that could have arisen for local families whose back gardens adjoin the waste ground where the culvert is located.
From BBC • May 8, 2026
Both major projects will adjoin the new transport infrastructure.
From Seattle Times • Apr. 18, 2023
Land buyers will pay premium prices, depending upon a variety of circumstances, such as special financing, tax advantages, or a “once-in-a-lifetime” opportunity to purchase parcels that adjoin their farms or ranches.
From Washington Times • Dec. 12, 2016
Communities that adjoin the park are not endangered, and no evacuations have been ordered.
From Washington Post • Apr. 21, 2016
This 'dining hall' where I now sit, however, is a modem annexe built to adjoin the main building - a long, flat room characterized by rows of large windows on either side.
From "The Remains of the Day" by Kazuo Ishiguro
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
