NIMBY

Alternative forms

• nimby, Nimby

Etymology

First known use in a 1980 article by British writer Emilie Travel Livezey; popularized by British politician Nicholas Ridley, who was Conservative Secretary of State for the Environment.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈnɪmbi/

Phrase

NIMBY

1. (chiefly US, Britain) Alternative letter-case form of nimby

Noun

NIMBY (plural NIMBYs)

1. Opposition to locating in one's neighborhood industrial, commercial, or public facilities deemed noxious.
   • 1980 November 6, Emilie Travel Livezey, “Hazardous waste”, in The Christian Science Monitor:

     The very thought of having even a secure landfill anywhere near them is anathema to most Americans today. It's an attitude referred to in the trade as NIMBY -- "not in my backyard."

   • 2016, Annalise Klingbeil, “Decision day looms for Drop-In Centre's controversial hotel housing project”, in Calgary Herald:

     Newman believes much of the resistance to the project stems from NIMBY (Not-In-My-Back-Yard) sentiment

   • 2016 March 21, Nandkumar M Kamat, “For IIT GOA Loliem Shows the WIMBY Way”, in The Navhind Times:

     From NIMBY (Not In MY Backyard) syndrome stalling several projects, Goa has moved ahead rationally to write a new chapter at Loliem, Canacona by welcoming location of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) to the village.

2. Synonym of nimby
   • 2008, David Paul Brennan, 50 Programs to Save the Economy

     Here again, the NIMBYs will try to derail any new dam project.

Adjective

NIMBY (comparative more NIMBY, superlative most NIMBY)

1. Synonym of nimby
   • 1990, Steven Anzovin, Preserving the world ecology

     The problem is that these demands tend to be more parochial than millenial, much more NIMBY (not in my back yard) than global, and more concerned with financial well-being than ecological health.

   • 2012, Allan Caplan, How much more NIMBY can we get?

     How much more NIMBY can we get?

   • 2012 August 20, Bridget Clerkin, “New West Windsor outpatient addiction treatment facility answers call to serve local need”, in The Times of Trenton:

     “There's a very 'NIMBY' feel about it,” Allen said.

   • 2013, Peter Ladner, The Urban Food Revolution: Changing the Way We Feed Cities

     Some are NIMBY neighbors who don't want the traffic or changes in their neighborhood.

   • 2016, Eric Jaffe, Toward a Stronger Theory of NIMBYism

     Why is California more NIMBY than Texas, for instance, or Austin more NIMBY than Houston?