# border on

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/border-on
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. physical location

phrasal verb · CEFR B2

to be right next to another country or area.

For teachers: to share a common boundary or frontier with a geographical area.

- France and Germany both border on several other European countries.
- The small principality borders on the Mediterranean Sea to the south and is surrounded by rugged mountains on all other sides.

Usage: This is an inseparable phrasal verb that takes a direct object.

### 2. almost like something

phrasal verb · CEFR B2

to be very close to a certain quality or feeling, usually a negative one.

For teachers: to come near to being something; to verge on a particular state or quality, typically one that is extreme or undesirable.

- His behavior was so strange that it started to border on madness.
- The critic argued that the director's latest film was so self-indulgent that it began to border on the absurd.

Usage: Usually followed by a noun representing an extreme quality like 'madness', 'absurdity', or 'genius'.

## Examples

- His behavior borders on being rude.
- The comedian's jokes were funny, but some of them bordered on being offensive to the audience.
- The architect's latest design is certainly ambitious, though some critics argue that its structural complexity borders on the impossible.

## Usage notes

- Teaching tip: point out that while it can describe physical geography, in figurative use it almost always points toward a negative or excessive trait.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.