Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
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

Derived 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.

Planer was working with comedy partner Peter Richardson on an act called The Outer Limits in the late 1970s when they saw Mayall, Sayle and Edmonson perform at The Comedy Store in London.

From BBC • Jun. 5, 2026

The diminutive aliens are the Anzellans, described as “the best droidsmiths of the Outer Rim” when Mando and Grogu are introduced to them in “The Mandalorian” Season 3 Episode 1.

From Los Angeles Times • May 21, 2026

She pointed to the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, a keystone document on international space law that President Lyndon Johnson signed onto.

From Salon • Apr. 9, 2026

“A lot of people are coming to grips with the fact that this is no longer a very normal industry,” said Conor MacWilliams, owner of Outer Beach Consultants, an ETF consulting firm.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 23, 2026

Even from a distance, she could see that the Outer City wall was cracked and broken.

From "Where the Mountain Meets the Moon" by Grace Lin

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Look it up. Learn it forever.

Remember "outer" for good with VocabTrainer. Expand your vocabulary effortlessly with personalized learning tools that adapt to your goals.

Take me to Vocabulary.com