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definitions

inner-directed

[ in-er-di-rek-tid, -dahy- ]
/ ˈɪn ər dɪˈrɛk tɪd, -daɪ- /
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SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR inner-directed ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

guided by internalized values rather than external pressures.

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RELATED WORDS

reflective, thoughtful, self-absorbed, snobbish, narcissistic, subjective, boastful, pompous, selfish, superior, egocentric, boasting, intimate, personal, obsessive, affected, aloof, autocratic, conceited, haughty

Nearby words

inner sanctum, inner space, inner temple, inner tube, inner woman, inner-directed, inner-tuber, inner-tubing, innerly, innermost, innermost intercostal muscle
Compare other-directed.

Origin of inner-directed

First recorded in 1945–50
Related formsin·ner-di·rec·tion, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for inner-directed

  • Full of mumbo-jumbo about "inner-directed" and "outer-directed" personalities.

    This Crowded Earth|Robert Bloch

British Dictionary definitions for inner-directed

inner-directed

adjective

guided by one's own conscience and values rather than external pressures to conformCompare other-directed
Derived Formsinner-direction, noun
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