neighboring
Americanadjective
Etymology
Origin of neighboring
Explanation
An object that's neighboring is right next to something else. Neighboring countries share a common border, and neighboring cars are parked side-by-side. In a restaurant, if someone at the neighboring table starts telling terrible jokes, you'll have to listen, since they're adjacent to your table. And if you live in Maine, New Hampshire is the only neighboring state. The adjective neighboring comes from the verb form of neighbor, which is rooted in the Old English words neah, "near," and gebur, "dweller."
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.
A similar strategy has been adopted in neighboring Mississippi.
From Barron's ● Aug. 11, 2026
Kardashian has reportedly been growing her compound since then, most recently purchasing a neighboring property last fall.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2026
At the boundaries of solar granules, neighboring layers of plasma also appear to travel at different speeds.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 8, 2026
Israeli and Lebanese officials have been holding direct, ambassador-level meetings since April, a historic diplomatic breakthrough for neighboring countries that have technically been at war since Israel’s founding in 1948.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026
The boys from the neighboring room flinched and took a quick step backward, trying to disassociate themselves.
From "The Mysterious Benedict Society" by Trenton Lee Stewart
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.
