NIMBY

See also: nimby

English

Alternative forms

• nimby, Nimby

Etymology

Was used 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.

Prior to that, Joseph A. Lieberman, a member of the US Atomic Energy Commission, gave a keynote address in early 1979 at the Fort Magruder Conference Center in which he reportedly asserted that "the 'nimby' (not in my backyard) syndrome must be eliminated." As reported in the Newport News (Virginia) Daily Press, Tuesday, February 13th, 1979, "Radioactive Waste: National Regulations Needed." Source: WorldHistories.net.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈnɪmbi/
• Rhymes: -ɪmbi

Phrase

NIMBY

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

Synonyms

• BANANA (stronger)

See also

• LULU

Noun

NIMBY (countable and uncountable, plural NIMBYs)

1. (uncountable) Opposition to something deemed harmful or unpleasant being located in one's own neighborhood.
   • 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. (countable) Synonym of nimby
   • 2008, David Paul Brennan, 50 Programs to Save the Economy‎^[1]:

     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^[2]:

     The problem is that these demands tend to be more parochial than millenial,^[sic] 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?‎^[3]:

     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^[4]:

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

   • 2016, Eric Jaffe, Toward a Stronger Theory of NIMBYism‎^[5]:

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