NIMBY

or Nim·by

[ usually nim-bee ]
/ usually ˈnɪm bi /

not in my backyard: used to express opposition by local citizens to the locating in their neighborhood of a civic project, as a jail, garbage dump, or drug rehabilitation center, that, though needed by the larger community, is considered unsightly, dangerous, or likely to lead to decreased property values.

QUIZZES

DON’T VACILLATE! VANQUISH THIS WORD OF THE DAY QUIZ!

It’d be a real faux pas to miss this quiz on the words from August 3–9, 2020!
Question 1 of 7
What does “vacillate” mean?
to waver in mind or opinion; be indecisive or irresolute.
to cause to be empty or unoccupied.
to assent tacitly; agree; consent.
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of NIMBY

First recorded in 1980–85

OTHER WORDS FROM NIMBY

Nim·by·ism, noun

Words nearby NIMBY

nimblewit, nimbo-, nimbostratus, nimbus, nimbus clouds, NIMBY, nimbyism, Nimeiry, Nîmes, NIMH, nimiety
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for NIMBY

British Dictionary definitions for NIMBY

NIMBY
/ (ˈnɪmbɪ) /

n acronym for

not in my back yard: a person who objects to the occurrence of something if it will affect him or her or take place in his or her locality
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Cultural definitions for NIMBY

NIMBY

Acronym for “Not In My Back Yard.” A term for a person who resists unwanted development, such as manufacturing plants, prisons, power companies, or chemical companies in his or her own neighborhood or town.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.