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Synonyms

borrowing

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

noun

  1. the act of one who borrows.

  2. the process by which something, as a word or custom, is adopted or absorbed.

  3. the result of such a process; something borrowed, as a foreign word or phrase or a custom.

Other Word Forms

  • nonborrowing adjective
  • preborrowing noun
  • unborrowing adjective

Etymology

Origin of borrowing

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; 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.

It’s like a saver borrowing at 5% to fund a 3% certificate of deposit–the numbers don’t work.

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

Publisher Ballantine Books is borrowing from the romantasy playbook with collectible variations of Weir’s work.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

Having realized its error, the ECB cut its key rate in November, initiating a lengthy sequence that eventually took borrowing costs below zero.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

The impact of higher energy and borrowing costs would be to make it harder to afford to buy a house, Nationwide said, reducing activity in the housing market.

From BBC • Apr. 1, 2026

My mom borrowing toilet paper rolls from work.

From "Crenshaw" by Katherine Applegate

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

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.