Dictionary.com

Popular Searches

 Thesaurus.com
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.

The rough exterior was the result of a hailstorm in Oklahoma two weeks ago.

From Literature

Although the interior of the property is lavish, the exterior certainly steals the show because of its sweeping views of the water and lush greenery.

From MarketWatch

"It's something of an outlier because it's very much the exterior world and her art didn't really end up like this."

From BBC

She says it made her appreciate the show's dressing and post-production work, with the exterior transformed with wisteria and made to look like it was surrounded by other properties.

From BBC

Despite its exterior Carrara marble surfaces, the building looks lightweight and poorly made.

From The Wall Street Journal

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.