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

However, the U.K.’s central bank is expected to signal that it stands ready to increase borrowing costs if the conflict in the Middle East is not resolved soon.

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

The BOJ faces a tricky trade-off: Raising interest rates could help lower inflation but higher rates also make borrowing costlier, increasing expenses for the government and businesses.

From BBC • Jun. 16, 2026

Its business was credit cards, not home loans, but it dealt with the same socioeconomic class of people whose home loan borrowing would end in catastrophe just a few years later.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis

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