borrowing

American  

[bor-oh-ing, bawr-] / ˈbɒr oʊ ɪŋ, ˈbɔr- /

noun

1. the act of one who borrows.

2. the process by which something, as a word or custom, is adopted or absorbed.

3. the result of such a process; something borrowed, as a foreign word or phrase or a custom.

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Other Word Forms

• nonborrowing adjective
• preborrowing noun
• unborrowing adjective

Etymology

Origin of borrowing

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; borrow, -ing ¹

Example Sentences

It’s like a saver borrowing at 5% to fund a 3% certificate of deposit–the numbers don’t work.

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

It would be funded by using a mixture of conventional capital, borrowing, and use of the mutual investment model.

From BBC • Apr. 2, 2026

If workers are patient, or unsuccessful, inflation may fall back to pre-war rates even without a rise in borrowing costs.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

Having realized its error, the ECB cut its key rate in November, initiating a lengthy sequence that eventually took borrowing costs below zero.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

“Speaking of ‘starting to live together,’” Byrd says, borrowing the phrase that Axel just used.

From "A Bird Will Soar" by Alison Green Myers

Related Words

• financing