border
noun
the part or edge of a surface or area that forms its outer boundary.
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border
American
[bawr-der]
/ ˈbɔr dər /
noun
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borders
plural
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the part or edge of a surface or area that forms its outer boundary.
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the line, limit, or delimiting geographic feature that separates one country, state, province, etc., from another: The largest lake within the borders of Canada is Great Bear Lake.
You cannot cross the border without a visa.
The largest lake within the borders of Canada is Great Bear Lake.
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the district or region that lies along the boundary line of another.
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the frontier of civilization.
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the border,
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the border between the United States and Mexico, especially along the Rio Grande.
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(in the British Isles) the region along the boundary between England and Scotland.
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an ornamental strip or design around the edge of a printed page, a drawing, etc.
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an ornamental design or piece of ornamental trimming around the edge of a fabric, rug, garment, article of furniture, etc.
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Horticulture.
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a long, narrow bed planted with flowers, shrubs, or trees.
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a strip of ground in which plants are grown, enclosing an area in a garden or running along the edge of a walk or driveway.
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the plants growing in such a strip.
a border of tulips along the path.
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Theater.
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a narrow curtain or strip of painted canvas hung above the stage, masking the flies and lighting units, and forming the top of the stage set.
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verb (used with object)
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borders,
present (3rd person singular)
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bordered,
past participle, past
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bordering
present participle
-
to make a border around; adorn with a border.
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to form a border or boundary to.
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to lie on the border of; adjoin.
verb (used without object)
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borders,
present (3rd person singular)
-
bordered,
past participle, past
-
bordering
present participle
-
to form or constitute a border; be next to.
California borders on the Pacific Ocean.
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to approach closely in character; verge.
The situation borders on tragedy.
border
1
British
/ ˈbɔːdə /
noun
-
a band or margin around or along the edge of something
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the dividing line or frontier between political or geographic regions
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a region straddling such a boundary
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( as modifier )
border country
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-
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a design or ornamental strip around the edge or rim of something, such as a printed page or dinner plate
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( as modifier )
a border illustration
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a long narrow strip of ground planted with flowers, shrubs, trees, etc, that skirts a path or wall or surrounds a lawn or other area
a herbaceous border
verb
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(tr) to decorate or provide with a border
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to be adjacent (to); lie along the boundary (of)
his land borders on mine
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to be nearly the same (as); verge (on)
his stupidity borders on madness
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Border
2
British
/ ˈbɔːdə /
noun
-
(often plural) the area straddling the border between England and Scotland
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the area straddling the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland
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the region in S South Africa around East London
Border
3
British
/ ˈbɔːdə /
noun
Usage
What does border mean? A border is the outer edge of a surface or image that marks its boundary in reference to others, such as a border you draw around a picture. A border is also a line that acts as a boundary between two or more geographic areas, whether it’s small areas, like between neighbors on the same street, or large areas, like between countries. To border often means to create a border, as on a picture. To border can also mean to form a border or to be next to one, as in Maine borders New Hampshire to the west and south and Canada to the north and east. Example: The border around the image is quite interesting, but I don’t think it fits the piece.
Synonym Usage
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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bordersimple
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borderssimple
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have borderedperfect
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has borderedperfect
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am borderingprogressive
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are borderingprogressive
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is borderingprogressive
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have been borderingperfect progressive
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has been borderingperfect progressive
Past
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borderedsimple
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had borderedperfect
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was borderingprogressive
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were borderingprogressive
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had been borderingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of border
First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English bordure, from Anglo-French, Old French, equivalent to bord(er) “to border” (derivative of bord “ship's side, edge,” from Germanic; see board) + -ure noun suffix; see -ure
Explanation
When you cross a border from one country into another, you'll need to show your identification papers and maybe a visa to the border patrol officials. A border separates one thing from another, most famously countries. Sometimes neighboring countries have border disputes, if they don't think the lines were drawn fairly or if they don't get along. Borders can also be less official. You might want to plant a border of cabbages along your front walk, or you could sew a border of sequins along the edge of your collar. But you'd have to go easy on the sequins, as too many would "border on the garish."
Vocabulary lists containing border
"The Civil Rights Movement"
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Commonly Confused Words, List 1
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The United States
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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:
Pacific Power’s Northern California territory sweeps across 11,292 square miles from the coast to the Nevada border, serving about 46,000 customers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026
Democrats claimed all three House races in the overwhelmingly Hispanic congressional districts along the Texas-Mexico border.
From BBC ● Nov. 4, 2026
In Texas, voters in majority-Latino districts near San Antonio and along the border helped Democrats break Republicans’ long-standing grip on the state to win the races for governor, lieutenant governor and senator.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 4, 2026
More than one million Rohingya still live across the border in Bangladesh, in the world's largest refugee settlement.
From Barron's ● Nov. 3, 2026
Wilhelm fled across the Dutch border to take refuge in neutral Holland, where he signed his formal abdication as king of Prussia and German emperor.
From "The War to End All Wars: World War I" by Russell Freedman
Customs and Border Protection vehicles parked outside the county’s busiest early voting location last month, after he’d been repeatedly reassured by the administration that agents would not do this.
From Salon ● Nov. 3, 2026
The paramilitary Border Guard Bangladesh force said it had deployed forces in Gazipur and Narayanganj, key industrial suburbs around Dhaka, and were using drones to monitor the unrest.
From Barron's ● Nov. 3, 2026
In December, Cincinnati Customs and Border Protection officers identified a master carton scheme from a Chinese shipper.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026
Anna Turley, Minister for Border Security and Asylum, called Abdela a "reckless criminal" who had been "rightly jailed".
From BBC ● Oct. 2, 2026
He has partners in three safe houses on the U.S. side of the river, people who will hide migrants if Border Patrol agents are in pursuit.
From "Enrique's Journey" by Sonia Nazario
The months-long blazes have engulfed huge tracts of land and produced air pollution that has harmed human health, drifted across borders and frayed Indonesia's ties with its neighbours.
From Barron's ● Nov. 6, 2026
The city of Leipzig borders that state, and its historic Gewandhaus Orchestra marked the days preceding the election with a democracy weekend it called “Reading the Signs.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 2, 2026
Uttarakhand, a Himalayan state which borders China and Nepal, is home to some of Hinduism's holiest shrines and attracts millions of pilgrims every year.
From BBC ● Oct. 30, 2026
And there is broad agreement that the nation needs both secure borders and a legalization plan for many immigrants currently in the country illegally.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 27, 2026
Some wanted him to pray for husbands and sons stationed at the borders of the country.
From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom
The evacuation zones include a swath of hillside neighborhoods bordered by the 5 Freeway, Ortega Highway and Avenida La Pata.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026
Our campsite bordered the Fefine, a large river that flows even in the dry season.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 28, 2026
The place: Opened in November 2025, One&Only’s first U.S. resort occupies 240 acres, bordered by more than 17,000 acres of permanently protected land.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026
The cars are connected to charging points by the garages for the flats, which are in traditional red buildings bordered by birch trees and a large golf course.
From Barron's ● Jun. 12, 2026
The yard was bordered with a chain link fence.
From "Krik? Krak!" by Edwidge Danticat
Earthquakes are rare in Panama and usually occur in the western Chiriqui province, bordering Costa Rica.
From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2026
At the movies, the PTSD-suffering veteran is a familiar figure, bordering on cliché.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026
MCALLEN, Texas — Vanessa Ovalle has a “frontline view” of Texas schools as a single mom and a speech pathologist at a local school in McAllen, a city in the Rio Grande Valley bordering Mexico.
From Salon ● Oct. 1, 2026
Communities across all states bordering Wyoming face darkness, breathing difficulties and roofs collapsing under accumulated ash.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 22, 2026
He edges closer, bordering on friendly for the first time.
From "I Am the Messenger" by Markus Zusak
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