Skip to main content
NIMBY attitude

NIMBY attitude

8.1
Opposing new local projects near your home while allowing them in other places
  • noun
  • /ˈnɪm.bi ˈæt.ɪ.tjuːd/
  • Literature
translation icon : actitud NIMBY
  • The city faced strong opposition due to residents' NIMBY attitude toward the proposed homeless shelter.

Examples

  • A NIMBY attitude can hinder progress on important public projects such as wind farms or waste facilities.

  • The city's NIMBY attitude has delayed several housing projects.

  • Her persistent NIMBY attitude blocked plans for a new community center in the neighborhood.

  • Many residents showed a strong NIMBY attitude towards the new landfill.

  • A NIMBY attitude can prevent local governments from building much-needed public transportation projects.

  • Her NIMBY attitude towards the construction of a new school upset many parents who wanted better education facilities.

  • The community's NIMBY attitude towards the new power plant highlighted their desire to keep heavy industry away from their homes.

Antonyms

1.0

Help for a person or idea

How Opposed

NIMBY attitude
  • Literature
8.1

Surface Forms

Morphology

NIMBY + attitude

This is compositional: 'NIMBY' (an opponent of local developments) combined with 'attitude' yields 'an attitude of opposing nearby developments'. The structure noun + attitude is a standard, predictable pattern, so a B1 learner who knows the constituent meanings can infer the MWE meaning (note: NIMBY is an acronym but functions here as a lexical noun).

Etymology

NIMBY attitude comes from the short form Not In My Back Yard, which paints the simple picture of people who agree a facility might be needed but do not want it near their own home. So, it means opposing projects or buildings when they are close to where you live.