inwardly
Americanadverb
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in or on, or with reference to, the inside or inner part; internally.
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privately; secretly.
Inwardly, he disliked his guest.
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within the self; mentally or spiritually.
Look inwardly to discover the truth.
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in low or soft tones; not aloud.
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toward the inside, interior, or center.
adverb
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within the private thoughts or feelings; secretly
inwardly troubled, he kept smiling
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not aloud
to laugh inwardly
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with reference to the inside or inner part; internally
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archaic intimately; essentially
the most inwardly concerned of the plotters
Etymology
Origin of inwardly
First recorded before 1000; Middle English inwardli, Old English inweardlīce; see inward, -ly
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Inwardly, it can dissolve the boundaries between the self and the universe, an experience that, despite being called "ego death," can be quite pleasant and even spiritual.
From Salon • Dec. 6, 2022
Inwardly he seethes with financial and professional envy.
From Washington Post • Jul. 12, 2022
“Riverbed came to the conclusion: we’ve now brought Zwanziger to our side. Inwardly, of course, I never was,” Zwanziger said in the interview with AP.
From Seattle Times • Feb. 27, 2022
Inwardly rectifying potassium channels: their structure, function, and physiological roles.
From Nature • Feb. 13, 2018
Inwardly fuming, I fixed a wooden expression on my face, folded the headband, and laid it back with the others.
From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
