border
noun
the part or edge of a surface or area that forms its outer boundary.
Showing results for border.
Search instead for
lordery.
border
American
[bawr-der]
/ ˈbɔr dər /
noun
-
borders
plural
-
the part or edge of a surface or area that forms its outer boundary.
-
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.
-
the district or region that lies along the boundary line of another.
-
the frontier of civilization.
-
the border,
-
the border between the United States and Mexico, especially along the Rio Grande.
-
(in the British Isles) the region along the boundary between England and Scotland.
-
-
an ornamental strip or design around the edge of a printed page, a drawing, etc.
-
an ornamental design or piece of ornamental trimming around the edge of a fabric, rug, garment, article of furniture, etc.
-
Horticulture.
-
a long, narrow bed planted with flowers, shrubs, or trees.
-
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.
-
the plants growing in such a strip.
a border of tulips along the path.
-
-
Theater.
-
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.
-
verb (used with object)
-
borders,
present (3rd person singular)
-
bordered,
past participle, past
-
bordering
present participle
-
to make a border around; adorn with a border.
-
to form a border or boundary to.
-
to lie on the border of; adjoin.
verb (used without object)
-
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.
-
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
-
the dividing line or frontier between political or geographic regions
-
-
a region straddling such a boundary
-
( as modifier )
border country
-
-
-
a design or ornamental strip around the edge or rim of something, such as a printed page or dinner plate
-
( as modifier )
a border illustration
-
-
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
-
(tr) to decorate or provide with a border
-
-
to be adjacent (to); lie along the boundary (of)
his land borders on mine
-
to be nearly the same (as); verge (on)
his stupidity borders on madness
-
Border
2
British
/ ˈbɔːdə /
noun
-
(often plural) the area straddling the border between England and Scotland
-
the area straddling the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland
-
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
-
bordersimple
-
borderssimple
-
have borderedperfect
-
has borderedperfect
-
am borderingprogressive
-
are borderingprogressive
-
is borderingprogressive
-
have been borderingperfect progressive
-
has been borderingperfect progressive
Past
-
borderedsimple
-
had borderedperfect
-
was borderingprogressive
-
were borderingprogressive
-
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"
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Commonly Confused Words, List 1
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The United States
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
Bland, a former primary school teacher and police officer, was among 17 Reform candidates to be returned to the Scottish Parliament in May as the party made its electoral breakthrough north of the border.
From BBC ● Oct. 19, 2026
"If it doesn't go over the wall, it goes under the wall. If it doesn't go through the border, it comes through the top border. This game is about adaptability."
From BBC ● Oct. 18, 2026
She knew her son’s journey to the Ukrainian border had a stopover in Moscow.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
However, Indian media have reported cases in West Bengal in which people excluded from voter rolls were later detained and, in some instances, pushed across the border into Bangladesh.
From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026
“They were a gift,” I said, trying not to deviate too far from the original lie I’d told the border patrol agent early that morning.
From "Summer of the Mariposas" by Guadalupe García McCall
Customs and Border Protection has received approximately $136 billion in refund requests and sent $126 billion to the Treasury Department for payment, an agency spokesperson said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 12, 2026
If further checks are needed, travellers will need to put their passport on the reader or may be directed to a Border Force officer.
From BBC ● 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
Customs and Border Protection for hundreds of autonomous surveillance towers along the southern border.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
Of Turkish border guards with raised guns and loud voices who eyed everyone up at the Bab al-Hawa Border Crossing.
From "Without Refuge" by Jane Mitchell
Countries accustomed to receiving great numbers of aspiring young people from beyond their borders may have to learn to do with fewer.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 18, 2026
The Pew Research Center chart below shows how Texas ranks No. 2 among all U.S. states for both the number of operating data centers within its borders and the number of planned facilities.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 15, 2026
North Korea also sealed its borders during the Covid-19 pandemic, and train journeys between the East Asian neighbours only restarted in March after a six-year halt.
From Barron's ● Oct. 15, 2026
Such tensions have also hampered past efforts to tackle disasters that cross Himalayan borders.
From BBC ● Oct. 14, 2026
“A visit from a fairy broker is a significant event, and carries certain expectations. I’ll concede that the merriment borders on foolishness.”
From "Fablehaven" by Brandon Mull
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 KBV, a national association representing statutory health insurance physicians, said that it "bordered on madness" to force thousands of people to visit doctors' surgeries simply to fill in forms.
From BBC ● Jul. 3, 2026
But Emerald Bay is gate-guarded, accessible only to residents, and its half-mile stretch of golden sand is bordered by the cliffs of two jutting points, geographically cutting off public access via other beaches.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 24, 2026
Russia bordered twelve other countries these days, and some of those countries bordered some of the world’s wealthiest.
From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French
Earthquakes are rare in Panama and usually occur in western Chiriqui province, bordering Costa Rica.
From Barron's ● Oct. 10, 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
Boundaries are extremely tricky to maintain with people who are insistent and/or bordering on pushy.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 21, 2026
Declaration’s note back to me was prickly, bordering on peevish.
From Each Little Bird That Sings by Deborah Wiles
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
