inner

[in-er]

adjective

1. situated within or farther within; interior.

   an inner door.

2. more intimate, private, or secret.

   the inner workings of the organization.

3. of or relating to the mind or spirit; mental; spiritual.

   the inner life.

4. not obvious; hidden or obscure.

   an inner meaning.

5. noting or relating to an aspect of a person's mind or personality that has not been fully discovered, revealed, or expressed.

   a place where anyone can find their inner artist regardless of skill level.

inner

/ ˈɪnə /

adjective

1. being or located further inside

   an inner room

2. happening or occurring inside

   inner movement

3. relating to the soul, mind, spirit, etc

   inner feelings

4. more profound or obscure; less apparent

   the inner meaning

5. exclusive or private

   inner regions of the party

6. chem (of a compound) having a cyclic structure formed or apparently formed by reaction of one functional group in a molecule with another group in the same molecule

   an inner ester

noun

1. Also called: red. archery

   1. the red innermost ring on a target

   2. a shot which hits this ring

Other Word Forms

• innerly adverb
• innerness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of inner¹

before 900; Middle English; Old English innera, comparative based on the adv. inne within, inside; inmost , -er ⁴

Example Sentences

Her loyal inner circle did not leak any information.

From Los Angeles Times

It’s also been an intimate window into the conflicted inner life of the show’s eponymous host.

From Los Angeles Times

Welcome to the Mayhem Ball, a magnificent and operatic tour de force; that pitches the star's inner angels and demons in a fight for her very soul.

From BBC

Nine of the 10 local authorities seeing the largest drops across the country are in London, it said, with the inner boroughs seeing the biggest change.

From BBC

He’s a dogmatic submissive, an inner tension illustrated by Penn to marvelous effect when Lockjaw shows up at Perfidia’s door with flowers and, when she doesn’t answer, returns with a battering ram.

From Los Angeles Times