outwardly
Americanadverb
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as regards appearance or outward manifestation.
outwardly charming; outwardly considerate.
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on the outside or outer surface; externally.
Outwardly, the fruit was rough to the touch.
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toward the outside.
The pier stretched outwardly from the shore.
adverb
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in outward appearance
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with reference to the outside or outer surface; externally
Etymology
Origin of outwardly
Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at outward, -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.
Outwardly, Larijani continues to say Iran isn’t ready to negotiate.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 8, 2026
Outwardly, at any rate, his confidence in his own ability seems untouched.
From BBC • Aug. 24, 2025
“Inwardly, he was sensitive to the feelings and needs of others. Outwardly, he was fearless and fierce in his commitment to friends, family and community,” his sister Carmen Freeman said.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 6, 2024
Outwardly, these two are leading lives of quiet desperation, though because this is an Aki Kaurismaki movie, their despair comes with great comic timing.
From New York Times • Nov. 16, 2023
Outwardly, she was steady and efficient; inside, she was full of secrets.
From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood
Definitions 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.
