NIMBY (an acronym for the phrase “Not In My Back Yard“), or Nimby, is a pejorative characterization of opposition by residents to a proposal for a new development because it is close to them, often with the connotation that such residents believe that the developments are needed in society but should be further away. Opposing residents themselves are sometimes called Nimbies.

Examples of projects likely to be opposed are fracking, homeless shelters, oil wells, chemical plants, industrial parks, military bases, wind turbines, desalination plants, landfills, incinerators, power plants, prisons, pubs, adult entertainment establishments, mobile telephone network masts, abortion clinics, toxic waste dumps, group homes, youth hostels, sports stadiums, strip malls, housing developments, freight railway, highways, airports, seaports, and medical cannabis dispensaries along with recreational cannabis shops.

The NIMBY concept may also apply more generally to people who advocate some proposal (for example, austerity measures like budget cuts, tax increases, or layoffs), but oppose implementing it in a way that would require sacrifice on their part.