border on

phrasal verb

bordered on; bordering on; borders on

: to have a border on (something) : to lie on a boundary of (something)

The area my ancestors come from borders on the Atacama Desert.

: to be very like (something) : to come very close to being (something)

The play's dialog borders on the ridiculous.

an enthusiasm bordering on fanaticism

Examples of border on in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

With a level of detail that borders on obsession, this is an unparalleled true account that reads like a mystery. —

Lizz Schumer, People.com, 28 Dec. 2024 There was so much anticipation about the first 12-team playoffs and the promise of great competition only to open on Friday night with a game that bordered on boring and the first game Saturday was a mismatch. —

Wally Hall, arkansasonline.com, 22 Dec. 2024 For 50 years, the Israel-Syria border on the Golan Heights was the quietest in the Middle East. —

Dina Kraft, The Christian Science Monitor, 12 Dec. 2024 At times, the human will to make a decent pizza at home borders on farce. —

Saahil Desai, The Atlantic, 6 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for border on