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.

But it is a balancing act – increasing borrowing costs risks harming the economy.

From BBC • Jun. 17, 2026

The BOJ lifted its policy rate to 1% from 0.75%, bringing borrowing costs to their highest level since 1995.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 16, 2026

What Warsh says this week, and, just as importantly, how he chooses to communicate over the next several years, could shape everything from borrowing costs and hiring to the direction of the stock market.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 16, 2026

It rates do go up, it would make borrowing money more expensive, but savings could be slightly more lucrative.

From BBC • Jun. 16, 2026

Papá said that borrowing money was like being enslaved.

From "Breaking Through" by Francisco Jiménez

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