NIMBY

What Does NIMBY Mean in a Text?

The Quick Answer

NIMBY means "Not In My Back Yard."

What is a NIMBY?

NIMBY ("Not In My Back Yard") is an acronym that refers to opposition by residents of an area to developments that they perceive will impact negatively on their lives, while generally being in favor of such developments in other areas.

Is NIMBY an Insult?

NIMBY is usually a pejorative term. A NIMBY will usually try to couch their objections in such a way as to disguise their NIMBYISM. For example:

Jo: Fracking will solve our country's energy needs for the next 30 years.
Si: I'm glad you're an advocate of fracking because they're planning to establish a fracking plant near your village.
Jo: Here? Why here? The elderly residents of the village will be very upset by all the construction traffic.
Si: You're such a NIMBY!

Harry: Have you seen that the NIMBYs are protesting about the new houses the council are planning to build?
Charlie: Yes. Apparently that derelict warehouse is home to a unique breed of field mouse.

Lee: I know we need a new hospital, but it would be much better sited on the other side of town.
Ali: You're such a NIMBY! You just don't want it to spoil your view.

What's the Plural of NIMBY?

The plural of NIMBY is currently NIMBYS. However, NIMBY is increasingly being treated as a word (rather than as an acronym) and the plural NIMBIES is becoming more common.

What's the Opposite of NIMBY?

The opposite of NIMBY is YIMBY ("Yes In My Back Yard").

Image for NIMBY

When I write NIMBY, I mean this:

A NIMBY is someone who advocates change but not if it impacts on their own life.

Summary of Key Points

"Not In My Back Yard" is, by far, the most common meaning for NIMBY when it is used in a text. (Bear in mind that it could have another meaning if used in a different context.)

NIMBY
Definition:	Not In My Back Yard
Type:	Acronym
Guessability:	2: Quite easy to guess
Typical Users:	Adults and Teenagers

An Academic Look at NIMBY

As it is spoken like a word, NIMBY is an acronym. Acronyms contrast with initialism abbreviations, which are pronounced using their individual letters. NIMBY is increasingly being recognized as a word in its own right. Therefore it could be considered a neologism (i.e., a newly coined word or term which has emerged into everyday usage). Some neologisms are formally accepted into mainstream language (at which point, they cease to be neologisms), and some wither until they can longer be considered everyday terms. A neologism can be: