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

• innerly adverb
• innerness noun

Etymology

Origin of inner

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

Example Sentences

Cissé continuously searches for ways to reconnect with her inner child.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026

These mutations prevent the body from producing enough of the protein otoferlin, which is essential for sending sound signals from the inner ear to the brain.

From Science Daily • Apr. 3, 2026

The relatively intact inner circle of this term stands in stark contrast to his first term in office between 2017 and 2021, which saw a flurry of firings and replacements.

From BBC • Apr. 2, 2026

Nor did it divulge the valuable inner mathematics—sometimes called weights—of the company’s expensive and powerful AI models.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

He cut all the way around, then ripped open the inner lining.

From "Everything Sad Is Untrue" by Daniel Nayeri