neighboring

American  

[ney-ber-ing] / ˈneɪ bər ɪŋ /

adjective

1. situated or living near; adjacent.

   to visit the neighboring towns.

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Etymology

Origin of neighboring

First recorded in 1595–1605; neighbor + -ing ²

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

See Examples For:

neighboring

The devastation comes less than two months after powerful twin quakes rattled neighboring Venezuela, killing more than 6,300 people and leaving tens of thousands homeless.

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

Their results show that exposure to light can make an atom more responsive to the movement of neighboring atoms.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 30, 2026

In essence, the neighboring sale upped the ante as far as Behar’s listing was concerned—and also encouraged her agents to start thinking about other ways they could prove the home’s potential to prospective buyers.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 30, 2026

At the height of the American chestnut blight, every woodland breeze would lose spores in uncountable trillions to drift in a pretty, lethal haze on to neighboring hillsides.

From "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson

Related Words

• adjoining
• bordering
• nearby