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.
It’s a combination of his hometown and the neighboring counties.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 16, 2026
In his downtime he would travel by horse and buggy across Pennsylvania and neighboring states with what he called his "exhibition": a new-fangled Edison phonograph, a magic lantern slide projector and later on, movies.
From Barron's • Apr. 13, 2026
His sister said he spends his time exercising, meditating and giving English and history classes to prisoners in neighboring cells.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026
In essence, the neighboring sale upped the ante as far as Behar’s listing is concerned—and also encouraged her agents to start thinking about other ways they could prove the home’s potential to prospective buyers.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 8, 2026
Like chimps, they are territorial and may kill hyenas from neighboring clans.
From "My Life with the Chimpanzees" by Jane Goodall
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.
