NIMBY

or Nim·by

[ nim-bee ]

abbreviation for

1. not in my backyard: used to express opposition by local citizens to the locating in their neighborhood of a civic project, such as a jail, garbage dump, or drug rehabilitation center, that, though needed by the larger community, is considered unsightly, dangerous, or likely to lead to decreased property values. Compare YIMBY ( def ).

NIMBY

/ ˈnɪmbɪ /

acronym for

1. not in my back yard: a person who objects to the occurrence of something if it will affect him or her or take place in his or her locality

NIMBY

1. Acronym for “ N ot I n M y B ack Y ard.” A term for a person who resists unwanted development, such as manufacturing plants, prisons, power companies, or chemical companies in his or her own neighborhood or town.

Other Words From

• Nim·by·ism noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of NIMBY¹

First recorded in 1980–85

Example Sentences

The reason is on the next slide, which is filled with public NIMBY complaints.

From The Daily Beast

And for every excited gentrifier, there is a horrified, indignant NIMBY.

From The Daily Beast

Initially, people seemed enthusiastic, but then she ran into the eternal problem of waste management: NIMBY.

From The Daily Beast