outside voice

American

[out-sahyd vois] / ˈaʊtˌsaɪd ˌvɔɪs /

noun

a strong, elevated voice, considered appropriate when speaking outdoors in order to be heard above a crowd or other background sounds or noises (opposed to inside voice).

She had to use her outside voice to be heard over the applauding concertgoers.

Etymology

Origin of outside voice

First recorded in 2005–10

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.

“That’s when a professional, outside voice coming in can help. Family relationships are not always easy.”

From MarketWatch • Dec. 23, 2025

Blake did say he was seeking an assistant to add to Hiller’s staff for another outside voice.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 5, 2024

That line comes during “United in Grief,” an album starter that Lamar front-loads with rhetorical riddles before snapping into his outside voice.

From Washington Post • May 16, 2022

“Derek’s not far away in Rockford, but still an outside perspective, and outside voice at the top of that pyramid.”

From Seattle Times • Nov. 7, 2021

Slowly the din of the outside voice softened and receded.

From "I, Robot" by Isaac Asimov

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023