as in marginal
located at or near a border a frontier town with a reputation for vice and lawlessness
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in border
a region along the dividing line between two countries the Apaches were once feared on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico frontier
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2
as in countryside
a rural region that forms the edge of the settled or developed part of a country Alaska has been called America's last frontier
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Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of frontier
Charlie Campbell, Time, 11 Dec. 2025
Fairchild Studio, Footwear News, 13 Apr. 2026 State Farm sees good reason to push Jake into new frontiers. —Brian Steinberg, Variety, 13 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for frontier
Adjective
That worried Huang, who fears a Chinese rival, and White House officials, who believe Chinese dependence on non-frontier American chips is the best way to ensure a lead in AI. —Charlie Campbell, Time, 11 Dec. 2025
Noun
Looking ahead, Anghelina sees decision intelligence as the next frontier for the industry. —Fairchild Studio, Footwear News, 13 Apr. 2026 State Farm sees good reason to push Jake into new frontiers. —Brian Steinberg, Variety, 13 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for frontier
Recent Examples of Synonyms for frontier
Adjective
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The midseason trade felt relatively marginal compared to league-wide blockbusters that shuffled James Harden, Darius Garland and Anthony Davis.— Broderick Turner, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2026
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And that marginal improvement could be the difference between locking in one of today's current mortgage rates or delaying a purchase or refinancing action, perhaps indefinitely.— Matt Richardson, CBS News, 14 Apr. 2026
Noun
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In the final scene of the book, Eva and Pista make their way over the Swiss border to freedom, as Biedermann’s grandparents did.— Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 23 Apr. 2026
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Both Perez and Ramirez said reducing border traffic congestion could also help improve the San Ysidro area.— David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The backstory Having met at Cambridge, Caitlin Owens and Paul Glade combined their sharp hotelier and architectural minds to draw up plans for a regenerative organic farm in the Devon countryside.— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
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The show, adapted from Jilly Cooper’s beloved books, is set against the backdrop of the stunning Cotswolds countryside and the glamorous, high-stakes world of 1980s British television.— Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 21 Apr. 2026
Noun
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This will be one of a record nine international games scheduled for the 2026 season, which will take place across four continents in seven countries.— The Athletic NFL Staff, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2026
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Italy’s navy chief of staff Giuseppe Berutti Bergotto told state broadcaster RAI this week that his country is ready to deploy up to four vessels to help clear the Strait of Hormuz, according to Reuters.— Sarah Dean, NBC news, 25 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Some of the coolest crappie fishing of the year occurs in backwaters that are easily accessible by foot.— Cory Schmidt, Outdoor Life, 15 Apr. 2026
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Gold transformed Victoria from a pastoral backwater into the most celebrated colony of the empire.— Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 19 Mar. 2026
Noun
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On arrival, guests are paired with a personal local guide–think of it as the hinterland’s answer to a butler—on hand to arrange everything from restaurant bookings to last-minute requests, typically handled with a quick text.— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
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Moreover, as soon as Christianity began to spread outside his native land, Christian converts faced new situations in unexpected contexts, completely different from those of their founder, an itinerant Jewish preacher in the sparsely populated hinterlands of rural Galilee.— Big Think, Big Think, 26 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Two injured backcountry skiers were rescued over the weekend from Colorado’s mountains in separate incidents, according to sheriff’s officials.— Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 19 Apr. 2026
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But in early fall and late spring, the splendor of this backcountry is hardly lessened.— Brad Japhe, Travel + Leisure, 12 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Smaller bush-type, or determinate, tomatoes can survive without support, but staking can help in the long run.— Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 19 Apr. 2026
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Berta Lepe, one of Greenhaven's caregivers, found Hernandez under a bush, wearing only a shirt and underwear.— Jordan Rau, NPR, 19 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Frontier.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/thesaurus/frontier. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.
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