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

Treasury yields stabilized in Asian trade on Friday, as investors increasingly focus on the economic impact of high borrowing costs and away from inflation.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026

“Good on ya, mates,” I exclaimed, borrowing a phrase from the antipodal contingent, impressed that my cohorts had sucked it up and resolved to push on.

From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer

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

From BBC ● Sep. 5, 2026

His latest idea is to use some of the Treasury’s cash on hand to reduce borrowings.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 24, 2026

Paying down borrowings is an equally valid route to enhancing owners’ wealth, though.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 18, 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

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