borderline

[bawr-der-lahyn]

adjective

1. on or near a border or boundary.

2. having an uncertain, indeterminate, or debatable status.

   He was a borderline case for admission to the program—please encourage him to apply again next year.

3. not quite meeting accepted, expected, or average standards.

   Discover specific how-to strategies for turning a borderline student into a confident achiever.

   Synonyms: marginal, unsure, precarious, doubtful

4. approaching bad taste or obscenity.

   He made several borderline remarks that offended them.

noun

1. null border line.

   1. a border or boundary.

      The town of Tiverton, Rhode Island, rests on the once-disputed Massachusetts borderline.

   2. a notional dividing line.

      Often the borderline between safety and toxicity is very small, and every year thousands of fish die as a consequence of chemical overdosing.

2. a person with borderline personality disorder.

borderline

/ ˈbɔːdəˌlaɪn /

noun

1. a border; dividing line; line of demarcation

2. an indeterminate position between two conditions or qualities

   the borderline between friendship and love

adjective

1. on the edge of one category and verging on another

   a borderline failure in the exam

Word History and Origins

Origin of borderline¹

First recorded in 1865–70; border + line ¹

Example Sentences

This is why interventions are quite rare, and the borderline decisions like Andy Robertson at Manchester City cause most controversy.

Read more on BBC

In her early teens, her parents say, she began showing signs of borderline personality disorder, attention deficit disorder and depression.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Epstein called the president “borderline insane” the following month.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Once upon a time, replicating that feat felt borderline impossible.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

It is a borderline call, but still supportable as an on-field decision.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• marginal