inner

American  

[in-er] / ˈɪn ər /

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.

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inner British  

/ 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

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noun

1. Also called: red. archery

   1. the red innermost ring on a target

   2. a shot which hits this ring

Other Word Forms

• innerness
  noun
• innerly
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of inner

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

Explanation

Something that's described as inner is at the center or interior. You inner ear, for example, is the part of your ear that you can't see. The inner pocket of your winter coat is the one closest to your body, and an inner courtyard is usually surrounded by at least one surrounding outer courtyard. Inner strength is the kind that comes from deep within your essential self, and an "inner circle" is a small privileged group of people with special access to information or influence. The "inner city" usually means the poorest section of a big city.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

inner

The actor is starring alongside the Oscar-winning Mikey Madison in "The Social Reckoning," the drama directed and written by Aaron Sorkin that delves into the inner workings of Facebook.

From Barron's ● Oct. 7, 2026

She launched her “soft sculpture” company, STFD, in 2024 with the intention of transforming her inner thoughts into plush form — no matter how outside the box those ideas may be.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 2026

Our bodies rely on three main sensory inputs to show that we're moving, which come from what we see, what our inner ear's balance system perceives, and what fibres in our body sense, he says.

From BBC ● Oct. 3, 2026

These records of AI agents’ inner thoughts constitute much of the evidence of why they go rogue.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026

With his pliers, the plumber twisted the inner workings of the lock.

From "The Mona Lisa Vanishes" by Nicholas Day