outside the box
Americanidiom
-
in an unconventional or original and resourceful way; in a way that defies usual limits.
-
unconventional; original and resourceful.
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.
In her view, “I’m going to tell you that the president is thinking outside the box, and sometimes we’ve got to think outside the box to get something done.”
From Slate ● Nov. 2, 2026
Guimaraes was the first player to score twice from the bench this season and both goals have been from outside the box.
From BBC ● Oct. 10, 2026
She launched her “soft sculpture” company, STFD, in 2024 with the intention of transforming her inner thoughts into plush form — no matter how outside the box those ideas may be.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 2026
At the same time, thinking outside the box can show a deeper level of thoughtfulness.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026
After all, they can’t be outside the box; we know that they are restricted to a certain volume, because if they were outside the box, we would not be looking at them.
From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
