inwardly
Americanadverb
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in or on, or with reference to, the inside or inner part; internally.
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privately; secretly.
Inwardly, he disliked his guest.
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within the self; mentally or spiritually.
Look inwardly to discover the truth.
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in low or soft tones; not aloud.
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toward the inside, interior, or center.
adverb
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within the private thoughts or feelings; secretly
inwardly troubled, he kept smiling
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not aloud
to laugh inwardly
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with reference to the inside or inner part; internally
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archaic intimately; essentially
the most inwardly concerned of the plotters
Etymology
Origin of inwardly
First recorded before 1000; Middle English inwardli, Old English inweardlīce; see inward, -ly
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Cooper, do you see your character here as an extension of what you were doing in “Licorice Pizza”? It’s this guy who outwardly has a lot of game, but then inwardly is struggling.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 6, 2025
The show had turned him into a celebrity and he received 10 million yen in compensation, but inwardly he still felt shattered and alone.
From New York Times ● May 3, 2024
The inwardly arcing run-up was just the same, and after eight months between spells Stokes did not need a loosener.
From BBC ● Mar. 8, 2024
The empire changed enormously during Chinggis Khan’s reign, becoming more inwardly peaceful but also much more materialistic in its tastes.
From Textbooks ● Apr. 19, 2023
“He was very nervous,” Gold remembered, “and I was inwardly not too calm myself.”
From "Bomb" by Steve Sheinkin
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
