borrowed; borrowing; borrows
1
a
: to receive with the implied or expressed intention of returning the same or an equivalent
borrow a book from the library
borrowed a dollar
borrowing a cup of sugar from a neighbor
b
finance
: to borrow (money) with the intention of returning the same plus interest (see interest entry 1 sense 3a)
borrow money from the bank
2
a
: to appropriate for one's own use
borrow a metaphor from Shakespeare
3
mathematics
: to take (one) from a digit of the minuend in arithmetical subtraction in order to add as 10 to the digit holding the next lower place
4
: to adopt into one language from another
The English word "entrepreneur" was borrowed from French.
5
dialect
: lend
Borrow me your pencil.
: to borrow something
borrows heavily from Nietzsche
Examples of borrow in a Sentence
The twins often borrow each other's clothes.
I'm borrowing a friend's car for the weekend.
He borrowed the book from the library.
Will you see if we can borrow a cup of sugar from the neighbors?
She borrowed $20 from me.
The speech was peppered with phrases borrowed from Winston Churchill.
She borrowed the technique from local artisans.
Recent Examples on the Web
For example, a fund manager might borrow yen and then invest that money in Indian bonds that offer a higher yield, pocketing the difference.
—
Will Daniel, Fortune, 30 Apr. 2024
In his business, a crucial metric for turning a profit is the time lag between borrowing construction money and renting out units.
—D. T. Max, The New Yorker, 29 Apr. 2024
Then one day, the three girls borrowed Mr. Ersa’s laptop and discovered his playlist.
—Sui-Lee Wee Nyimas Laula, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2024
Arabs excelled in navigational and communication systems, and borrowed from China, India, Africa and Byzantium to propel mathematics, architecture, musical instrumentation and notation, finance and trade.
—Doris Bittar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Apr. 2024
For more physical activity, book one of the resort’s tennis courts with a pro, join a free group yoga session, or borrow a bicycle to explore the city (via beach cruiser) or the sand (via fat-tired e-bike).
—Jackie Caradonio, Travel + Leisure, 23 Apr. 2024
Universal life Insurance Conversely, universal life policies typically enable policy holders to accrue interest that can be borrowed against over time.
—Jasmine Browley, Essence, 22 Apr. 2024
Many Chinese households have borrowed heavily to invest in apartments and are responding to falling home prices by cutting back their spending.
—Alexandra Stevenson, New York Times, 16 Apr. 2024
The co-owners strive to emphasize quality over showmanship, a philosophy borrowed from a business Batista opened years ago: All Souls Bar in Shaw, a neighborhood spot beloved for its small, rotating selection of reliable cocktails.
—Sonia Rao, Washington Post, 16 Apr. 2024
Will Daniel, Fortune, 30 Apr. 2024
In his business, a crucial metric for turning a profit is the time lag between borrowing construction money and renting out units.
—D. T. Max, The New Yorker, 29 Apr. 2024
Then one day, the three girls borrowed Mr. Ersa’s laptop and discovered his playlist.
—Sui-Lee Wee Nyimas Laula, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2024
Arabs excelled in navigational and communication systems, and borrowed from China, India, Africa and Byzantium to propel mathematics, architecture, musical instrumentation and notation, finance and trade.
—Doris Bittar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Apr. 2024
For more physical activity, book one of the resort’s tennis courts with a pro, join a free group yoga session, or borrow a bicycle to explore the city (via beach cruiser) or the sand (via fat-tired e-bike).
—Jackie Caradonio, Travel + Leisure, 23 Apr. 2024
Universal life Insurance Conversely, universal life policies typically enable policy holders to accrue interest that can be borrowed against over time.
—Jasmine Browley, Essence, 22 Apr. 2024
Many Chinese households have borrowed heavily to invest in apartments and are responding to falling home prices by cutting back their spending.
—Alexandra Stevenson, New York Times, 16 Apr. 2024
The co-owners strive to emphasize quality over showmanship, a philosophy borrowed from a business Batista opened years ago: All Souls Bar in Shaw, a neighborhood spot beloved for its small, rotating selection of reliable cocktails.
—Sonia Rao, Washington Post, 16 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'borrow.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near borrow
Cite this Entry
“Borrow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/borrow. Accessed 3 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
borrow
verb
bor·row
ˈbär-ō 
ˈbȯr-
1
: to take or receive something with the promise or intention of returning it
2
: to take for one's own use something begun or thought up by another : adopt
borrow an idea
3
: to take 1 from the digit in a minuend and add it as 10 to the digit in the next lower place
Biographical Definition
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