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

In the third volume of her Diaspora Quartet, Lee follows the Koh family from Australia to Korea to the United States as their paterfamilias John hews to his strong inner compass.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026

Instead, Maduro and his inner circle banded together.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026

Soothe your inner child with some nostalgic tunes: When Rebecca Knight became a parent, she vowed that her kids wouldn’t listen to Raffi.

From Slate ● Sep. 2, 2026

Guerra said it was like "hitting the jackpot", uncovering the inner workings of a vast, underground system.

From BBC ● Aug. 30, 2026

Music expresses children’s identity and heritage, teaches them to belong to a culture, and develops their cognitive well-being and inner self worth.

From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin