neighbourly

IPA/ˈneɪbəli/
KK[nˈebɚli]IPA/ˈneɪbərli/

neighbourly — adjective

  • neighbourlypositive
  • more neighbourlycomparative
  • most neighbourlysuperlative

1. showing kindness, helpfulness, and goodwill toward the people who live near you

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

showing kindness, helpfulness, and goodwill toward the people who live near you — for example, visiting a sick neighbour, offering practical help, or simply greeting those who live close by with warmth and respect.

Example

The Felix family made a neighbourly visit to their elderly neighbour, bringing a warm meal.

Shirin showed neighbourly kindness by collecting the mail for us while we were away.

attributive use: neighbourly + noun (kindness)

Common collocations
  • neighbourly gesture
  • neighbourly visit
  • neighbourly act
  • neighbourly spirit
  • neighbourly relations
  • neighbourly atmosphere
  • neighbourly effort
  • neighbourly kindness
  • neighbourly help
Synonyms
  • friendly

    broader; can refer to any person or situation, not limited to neighbours

  • kind

    general quality of goodwill; less specific to the neighbour relationship

  • helpful

    focuses on practical assistance, one aspect of being neighbourly

  • considerate

    emphasises thoughtfulness about others' needs or feelings

Antonyms
  • unfriendly

    opposite in attitude; cold or distant rather than warm

  • unneighbourly

    direct antonym; failing to show goodwill to those who live nearby

Grammar Patterns

be + adjective

adjective + noun

adjective + of + person + to-infinitive

Usage Note

Common in British English; the American English spelling is 'neighborly'. The word is used both attributively (before a noun, e.g. a neighbourly gesture) and predicatively (after a linking verb, e.g. It was neighbourly of them to help). Note that 'neighbourly' describes attitude or behaviour, whereas 'neighbouring' only means located nearby.

Common Mistakes

We live on a neighbourly street.
We live on a neighbouring street.
'neighbourly' describes friendly behaviour; 'neighbouring' simply means located next to or near.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

These four words share a core sense of positive social behaviour, but 'neighbourly' is the only one that specifically ties the kindness to a residential context. 'Friendly' is the broadest — it describes any warm or agreeable manner, from a shop assistant to a new colleague, and carries no implication of proximity. 'Kind' goes deeper into character, describing a generous or compassionate nature, but again lacks the neighbourhood anchor of 'neighbourly'. 'Helpful' is more task-oriented: a helpful person performs practical actions like carrying shopping or giving directions, whereas a neighbourly person may simply be warm and welcoming without performing any specific task. 'Considerate' emphasises thoughtfulness about others' feelings or convenience — it overlaps with neighbourly when applied to noise, parking, or shared spaces. For example: 'Our neighbourly landlord always lets us know before entering the flat' feels natural, while 'our friendly landlord' could mean he smiles a lot without being particularly careful about privacy.

friendly ↗kind ↗helpful ↗considerate ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • in a neighbourly fashion
  • in a neighbourly way

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

'Neighbourly' comes from Middle English 'neighbourli', formed by adding the adjective suffix '-ly' to 'neighbour'. The word 'neighbour' itself traces back to Old English 'nēahġebūr', a compound of 'nēah' (near) and 'ġebūr' (dweller, farmer). So the literal sense is 'having the qualities of a person who dwells near you'. The modern meaning of friendly helpfulness toward those who live close by has been in use since at least the 1500s.