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Synonyms

exterior

American  
[ik-steer-ee-er] / ɪkˈstɪər i ər /

adjective

  1. outer; being on the outer side.

    the exterior surface; exterior decorations.
    Synonyms:
    superficial, external, outside, outward
    Antonyms:
    interior

  2. intended or suitable for outdoor use.

    exterior paint.

  3. situated or being outside; pertaining to or connected with what is outside.

    the exterior territories of a country.
    Synonyms:
    extrinsic, foreign, extraneous, outlying

noun

  1. the outer surface or part; outside.

    Synonyms:
    face
    Antonyms:
    interior

  2. outward form or appearance.

    She has a placid exterior, but inside she is tormented.
    Synonyms:
    aspect, mien

  3. Mathematics. the collection of points not contained in the closure of a given set.

exterior British  
/ ɪkˈstɪərɪə /

noun

  1. a part, surface, or region that is on the outside

  2. the observable outward behaviour or appearance of a person

  3. a film or scene shot outside a studio

"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

adjective

  1. of, situated on, or suitable for the outside

    exterior cleaning

  2. coming or acting from without; external

    exterior complications

  3. of or involving foreign nations

"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

  • exteriorly adverb

Etymology

Origin of exterior

1525–35; < Latin, comparative of exter or exterus on the outside, outward. See ex- 1

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.

Changes to the exterior over the years also included a number of fire safety upgrades.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 7, 2026

The truck bed has been replaced by a scaled-down version of the cargo box on delivery vans, and the exterior is equipped with flood lights controlled by switches in the passenger cabin.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 22, 2026

What he finds is a sweet, five-legged alien who appears to have a stone-like exterior.

From Salon • Mar. 21, 2026

He may have a laid-back attitude and a languid playing style, but behind the calm exterior there is a steely determination.

From BBC • Mar. 18, 2026

Given my job now, why didn’t Frances Miranda Gonzagaga ever arrange to update my exterior shell to make me look like an adult?

From "The School for Whatnots" by Margaret Peterson Haddix

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.