Borderline

B2 16+

Pronunciation: /ˈbɔːrdərˌlaɪn/

Definitions of borderline

noun the line that separates one country, state, province, etc., from another; the border

Example Sentences

A1 The borderline between the two countries is marked by a river.

A2 The borderline of the forest is where the trees end and the field begins.

B1 The borderline of acceptable behavior was crossed when he started yelling at the teacher.

B2 The borderline of legality is often a grey area in complex cases.

C1 The borderline of art and commerce is constantly shifting in the modern world.

C2 The borderline between genius and madness is a topic that has fascinated philosophers for centuries.

adjective of, relating to, or characteristic of a border

Example Sentences

A1 The weather is borderline cold today.

A2 She has a borderline obsession with collecting stamps.

B1 The movie received borderline positive reviews from critics.

B2 The company's financial situation is borderline unsustainable.

C1 Her behavior at the party was borderline inappropriate.

C2 The artist's work is considered borderline genius by art critics.

adverb on or near a border

Example Sentences

A1 She was borderline late for the meeting.

A2 The quality of the product was borderline acceptable.

B1 His behavior was borderline inappropriate during the presentation.

B2 The project's success was borderline miraculous given the circumstances.

C1 The artist's work was borderline revolutionary in the art world.

C2 Her talent was borderline genius, surpassing all expectations.

Examples of borderline in a Sentence

formal The patient's symptoms are borderline between two different medical conditions.

informal I think his behavior is borderline crazy sometimes.

slang She's always on the borderline of getting in trouble.

figurative The line between success and failure is often borderline thin.

Grammatical Forms of borderline

past tense

borderlined

plural

borderlines

comparative

more borderline

superlative

most borderline

present tense

borderline

future tense

will borderline

perfect tense

have borderlined

continuous tense

is borderlining

singular

borderline

positive degree

borderline

infinitive

to borderline

gerund

borderlining

participle

borderlining

Origin and Evolution of borderline

First Known Use: 1830 year
Language of Origin: English
Story behind the word: The word 'borderline' originated from the combination of the words 'border' and 'line'.
Evolution of the word: Originally used to describe a line marking a boundary or limit, 'borderline' evolved to also refer to a state or condition that is on the edge or close to a specified quality or condition.