Contiguous

USAGE SUMMARY

The part of the phrase "Contiguous" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe things that are touching or connected without any gaps, often in contexts related to geography or data structures. Example: "The contiguous United States refers to the 48 adjoining states and the District of Columbia."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Whitechapel as he saw it was a thriving, prosperous place, with its wide, busy, well-lit central artery, and all the wretchedness and squalor were buried in contiguous courts.

The Guardian - Books

These districts suit not only black and Latino Democrats, who easily win election in such enclaves, but also conservative white Republicans, who win in all the contiguous places from which the minorities have been gerrymandered out.Yet the system also leaves plenty of discretion with the party in power.

The Economist

Messrs Card and Krueger moved on to other work, but Arindrajit Dube at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst and Michael Reich of the University of California at Berkeley have generalised the case-study approach, comparing restaurant employment across all contiguous counties with different minimum-wage levels between 1990 and 2006.

The Economist

Iran's support for Jalal Talabani, the leader of the PUK which runs the chunk of the Iraqi enclave contiguous to Iran, has helped to prevent the KDPI from launching cross-border attacks.

The Economist

According to a report on July 12th by the United States Drought Monitor, nearly 30% of the land in the contiguous United States (the 48 states other than Alaska and Hawaii) is affected by drought.

The Economist

Now, of 15 contiguous countries lying to the east and south-east of those new borders, at least 11 more hope to become EU members, most of them within the next ten years or so, subject to various ifs and buts.Romania and Bulgaria have already signed their accession treaties and expect to join in 2007 and 2008, though the treaties have yet to be ratified by all EU parliaments.

The Economist

At the other extreme, Russia has nine contiguous time zones, more than any other country.

The Economist

Given that kind of density, Mr Florida writes,  "it makes sense to develop high-speed rail connections within mega-regions first, and later develop connections between contiguous ones, say for example down the east and west coasts or across the Great Lakes region".

The Economist

Mr Morrison's visit to Delhi on July 22nd sparked speculation that Australia hoped to send the asylum-seekers to India instead.The government says the Sri Lankans were intercepted in a "contiguous zone" just outside Australia's territorial waters around Christmas Island.

The Economist

What is it?(a) That in any map composed of contiguous spaces, no more than four colours are required to paint it without any adjacent spaces being of the same colour.

The Economist

Combined with continued fast growth in its population, it is the true existential threat to Pakistan.Pakistan is arranged along the Indus river basin and the world's largest contiguous irrigation system which it feeds.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing geographical areas, use "contiguous" to emphasize that the regions are directly connected without any intervening territories. This is particularly useful when clarifying which states are part of the "contiguous United States."

Common error

Avoid using "contiguous" when you mean "continuous". "Contiguous" implies physical touching or adjacency, while "continuous" means uninterrupted in time or sequence. For instance, a "continuous process" flows without breaks, but "contiguous land" refers to areas that share a border.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "Contiguous" is as an adjective. It is used to describe a noun, indicating that the noun is adjacent, touching, or sharing a boundary with another. Ludwig AI confirms this with numerous examples demonstrating its use in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

55%

Science

25%

Encyclopedias

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Reference

3%

Wiki

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "Contiguous" functions as an adjective that describes items sharing a boundary or being directly adjacent. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and frequent usage across diverse contexts, notably in News & Media and Scientific domains. It's crucial to differentiate it from "continuous", and its usage tends towards neutrality and formality. The examples show it's used to describe geographical, political, or even abstract concepts. Use "Contiguous" to accurately express shared borders or adjacency in your writing, ensuring clarity and precision.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Adjacent

Expresses a similar idea of being next to or adjoining something, but might imply a slightly less strict connection.

Adjoining

Focuses on the act of sharing a boundary or being in contact, similar to touching or abutting.

Neighboring

Implies a close proximity or being located near each other, often used in a geographical context.

Touching

Emphasizes the physical contact between two things, differing in focus from general proximity.

Connected

Suggests a link or relationship between two things, not necessarily a physical one.

Bordering

Specifically indicates sharing a border or boundary, often used in political or geographical descriptions.

Abutting

Highlights the direct physical contact where two things meet at a boundary.

Conterminous

Indicates having a common boundary or coinciding in space, often used in formal contexts.

Immediate

Implies something that is nearest or closest in space or time, focusing on lack of intermediaries.

Next to

A simple and direct way of describing something that is beside another, without implying further characteristics.

FAQs

How is "contiguous" used in a sentence?

The word "contiguous" is used to describe things that are adjacent or sharing a common border. For example, "The 48 "contiguous" states form the main part of the United States".

What can I say instead of "contiguous"?

You can use alternatives like "adjacent", "adjoining", or "neighboring" depending on the specific context.

Which is correct, "contiguous" or "continuous"?

"Contiguous" means sharing a boundary, while "continuous" means without interruption. Use "contiguous" when describing areas that touch each other and "continuous" for something that proceeds without breaks.

What's the difference between "contiguous" and "adjacent"?

While both terms refer to closeness, "contiguous" implies direct contact and sharing a boundary, whereas "adjacent" simply means near or close, without necessarily touching.