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Synonyms

outer

American  
[ou-ter] / ˈaʊ tər /

adjective

  1. situated on or toward the outside; external; exterior.

    outer garments; an outer wall.

  2. situated farther out or farther from the center.

    the outer reaches of space.

  3. of or relating to the external world.


outer British  
/ ˈaʊtə /

adjective

  1. being or located on the outside; external

  2. further from the middle or central part

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. archery

    1. the white outermost ring on a target

    2. a shot that hits this ring

  2. the unsheltered part of the spectator area at a sports ground

  3. informal excluded or neglected

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of outer

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at out, -er 4

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.

See Examples For:

The map then zooms out of New York and away from Earth before the Spider-Man icon indicates he has been spotted somewhere in outer space.

From Los Angeles Times Jul. 31, 2026

That is very much viewed as the outer edge of what is possible, particularly as one Uefa member has said it is broadly in agreement with Infantino's proposals.

From BBC Jul. 30, 2026

Most of the fragment consists of cortical bone, the thick and dense tissue that forms the hard outer layer of bones.

From Science Daily Jul. 27, 2026

Peeling, too, or removing outer layers of produce, is another effective safeguard.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 23, 2026

Fig’s pupils were so big that only a thin outer ring of lime green remained.

From "Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence" by Sonja Thomas

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