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.
But Hezbollah rejects the agreement outright despite Lebanese government pressure, lowering expectations of success in the negotiations.
From Barron's ● Jul. 14, 2026
The senator’s ability to compartmentalize, once his political superpower, became his ruin, morphing into outright denial.
From Salon ● Jul. 13, 2026
Both players are set to stay in Oklahoma City, with Robinson accepting his outright assignment.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 7, 2026
Part of the appeal of a rental over an outright purchase is the speed at which robotics technology is improving.
From BBC ● Jul. 6, 2026
By the time we were in high school, he’d become an outright celebrity—charismatic, well connected, and constantly on the move.
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
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.
