borrowing

American

[bor-oh-ing, bawr-] / ˈbɒr oʊ ɪŋ, ˈbɔr- /

noun

the act of one who borrows.
the process by which something, as a word or custom, is adopted or absorbed.
the result of such a process; something borrowed, as a foreign word or phrase or a custom.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Nouns

borrowings

plural

Etymology

Origin of borrowing

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at borrow, -ing ¹

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.

See Examples For:

borrowing borrowings

"This is not merely a matter of borrowing money; it is about shaping the very structure and direction of the nation's development."

From Barron's ● Oct. 17, 2026

And beauty is relative, especially when it comes to borrowing.

From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2026

Indeed the Thai finance minister was boasting to me of how little his borrowing costs had gone up, especially in relation to the US.

From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2026

Some debt analysts focused on the tech sector remain skeptical that companies will slow their investments in AI infrastructure just because they are facing higher borrowing costs.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026

“Hai! That’s right. That’s wise. Trouble enough in this world without borrowing from others. Well, may Ra shine upon you, and Mother Mut smile.”

From "The Golden Goblet" by Eloise Jarvis McGraw

The club's latest quarterly figures showed total borrowings of £1.29bn, including outstanding transfer fees.

From BBC ● Sep. 5, 2026

As of June 30, SpaceX had $93.5 billion in cash and cash equivalents, as well as $6.48 billion of short-term marketable securities and borrowings under credit facilities.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 25, 2026

If that happens, he said, it could raise bills for electric customers since the utility may have to pay a higher interest rate for new borrowings.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026

Among the red flags that Di Mattia is tracking are the stock-market performances of companies whose borrowings are tied to AI hopes.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 26, 2026

Scholars have long acknowledged such borrowings as moccasins, maize, and military tactics—the Indian-style guerrilla skirmishes with which the rebellious colonists bedeviled British soldiers.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023