: opposition to the locating of something considered undesirable (such as a prison or incinerator) in one's neighborhood
NIMBYism noun

Examples of NIMBY 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.
The report fans the flames in the already-contentious YIMBY v. NIMBY housing debates among lawmakers and the commission; Alvarez backed the report, and co-authors of his bill, AB 2560, have called for Coastal Commission reform as well. Andrew Sheeler, Sacramento Bee, 13 June 2024 Proposals promoting lower density passed at higher rates than high-density projects, but NIMBY impulses hardly seem to run riot. Jaime Moore-Carrillo, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 June 2024 But building transmission infrastructure is a political minefield that’s faced near-constant opposition from parties including competing power companies, NIMBY landowners, and partisan lawmakers. Dylan Sloan, Fortune, 19 May 2024 Smith shops and candle factories are no longer the center of NIMBY battles. Jeremy Lechtzin, New York Times, 19 Apr. 2024 The city counts that as a victory in a county that has endured some nasty recent NIMBY disputes. John Tuohy, The Indianapolis Star, 10 Jan. 2024 But like many other NIMBY cases, there are only a few loud voices speaking for a large community. Sydney Lake, Fortune, 30 Mar. 2024 Generous federal subsidies are available, but politicians and developers still face a slog in pushing through NIMBY concerns. Christopher Helman, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024 The latest court decision in a long battle to build 130 units of affordable housing in downtown Livermore has thrown the project into flux, and has housing advocates decrying a new breed of NIMBY tactics. Will McCarthy, The Mercury News, 12 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

not in my backyard

First Known Use

1980, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of NIMBY was in 1980

Dictionary Entries Near NIMBY

Cite this Entry

“NIMBY.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/NIMBY. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

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