outright
Americanadjective
-
complete or total.
an outright loss.
-
downright or unqualified.
an outright refusal.
-
without further payments due, restrictions, or qualifications.
an outright sale of the car.
-
Archaic. directed straight out or on.
adverb
-
completely; entirely.
- Synonyms:
- thoroughly, altogether, utterly, downright
-
without restraint, reserve, or concealment; openly.
Tell me outright what's bothering you.
-
at once; instantly.
to be killed outright.
-
without further payments due, restrictions, or qualifications.
to own the house outright.
-
Archaic. straight out or ahead; directly onward.
adjective
-
without qualifications or limitations
outright ownership
-
complete; total
an outright lie
-
straightforward; direct
an outright manner
adverb
-
without restrictions
buy outright
-
without reservation or concealment
ask outright
-
instantly
he was killed outright
-
obsolete straight ahead or out
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of outright
Middle English word dating back to 1250–1300; see origin at out, right
Explanation
If you do something outright, you do it in a wholehearted, unrestricted way. If you declare outright that you’re never eating another cupcake, that’s the end of that. If you eat one anyway, you told an outright lie. If an event is cancelled outright, there's no question about it being rescheduled, and if you buy a new car outright, you pay for it all at once, instead of making monthly payments. Outright means direct and immediate — whether it's an adverb or an adjective: "The child's outright refusal to put on his shoes exasperated his babysitter." It can also mean “right away.” If you step on a slug, you’ll probably kill it outright. Ew.
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.
He found that more than one in four data tests across EE, O2, Three and Vodafone failed outright.
From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026
Does the slow-motion version ever tip into outright panic?
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026
But in the document, the EU admits the "existing rules do not suffice", since there is no "outright ban on common problematic features".
From Barron's ● Sep. 15, 2026
Creon, representing the claims of the polis over the clan, cannot be dismissed outright.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026
“My rouge won’t come off.” and Amy rubbed her brilliant cheek, and showed him her white glove with a sober simplicity that made him laugh outright.
From "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott
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.
