Definition of adjacentnext

Synonym Chooser

How is the word adjacent different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of adjacent are adjoining, contiguous, and juxtaposed. While all these words mean "being in close proximity," adjacent may or may not imply contact but always implies absence of anything of the same kind in between.

a house with an adjacent garage

When could adjoining be used to replace adjacent?

While in some cases nearly identical to adjacent, adjoining definitely implies meeting and touching at some point or line.

had adjoining rooms at the hotel

When would contiguous be a good substitute for adjacent?

While the synonyms contiguous and adjacent are close in meaning, contiguous implies having contact on all or most of one side.

offices in all 48 contiguous states

When can juxtaposed be used instead of adjacent?

Although the words juxtaposed and adjacent have much in common, juxtaposed means placed side by side especially so as to permit comparison and contrast.

a skyscraper juxtaposed to a church

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 adjacent The museum has cited safety concerns as one reason visitors will have to pass security controls before entering the plaza, and an adjacent park has no such barriers. — Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 2 Oct. 2026 Almost every house was then surrounded by adjacent empty lots that had been seized to ensure that no one else would build. — Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2026 Luxury homes have been erected adjacent to the land in King City in large numbers. — Jeffrey Weiss, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026 Gold seats are located at the front of the nave, adjacent to the performer stage. — Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 1 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for adjacent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for adjacent
Adjective
  • Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother takes place in the suburbs of Houston — where Tariq was raised — a setting that manages to make adjoining streets of the Texas city feel like disparate universes.
    — CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 30 Sep. 2026
  • The development combines The Butterfly residential tower with the adjoining First Baptist Church complex.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 23 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • The remains of medieval ruler Czar Samuel arrived in Bulgaria on Saturday, after decades of negotiations with neighboring Greece.
    — COSTAS KANTOURIS, Arkansas Online, 4 Oct. 2026
  • The vote prolongs the crisis and raises the chance of early elections at a time of regional security concerns, with the NATO member confronting a sharp increase in drone incursions linked to Russia’s war in neighboring Ukraine.
    — Stephen McGrath, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Adjacent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adjacent. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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