outward

[ out-werd ]

adjective

1. proceeding or directed toward the outside or exterior, or away from a central point:

   the outward flow of gold; the outward part of a voyage.

2. pertaining to or being what is seen or apparent, as distinguished from the underlying nature, facts, etc.; pertaining to surface qualities only; superficial:

   outward appearances.

3. belonging or pertaining to external actions or appearances, as opposed to inner feelings, mental states, etc.:

   an outward show of grief.

4. that lies toward the outside; that is on the outer side; exterior:

   an outward court.

5. of or relating to the outside, outer surface, or exterior:

   to make repairs on the outward walls of a house.

6. pertaining to the outside of the body; external.
7. pertaining to the body, as opposed to the mind or spirit.
8. belonging or pertaining to what is external to oneself:

   outward influences.

noun

1. that which is external; the external or material world.
2. outward appearance.

adverb

1. toward the outside; out.
2. visibly expressing one's inner feelings, mental state, etc.
3. away from port:

   a ship bound outward.

4. Obsolete. on the outside; externally.

outward

/ ˈaʊtwəd /

adjective

1. of or relating to what is apparent or superficial
2. of or relating to the outside of the body
3. belonging or relating to the external, as opposed to the mental, spiritual, or inherent
4. of, relating to, or directed towards the outside or exterior
5. (of a ship, part of a voyage, etc) leaving for a particular destination
6. the outward man
   the outward man
   1. the body as opposed to the soul
   2. clothing

adverb

1. (of a ship) away from port
2. See outwards
   a variant of outwards

noun

1. the outward part; exterior

Derived Forms

• ˈoutwardness, noun

Other Words From

• outward·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of outward¹

before 900; Middle English; Old English ūtweard. See out, -ward

Example Sentences

There are concepts for rollable display smartphones, outward-folding displays like the Huawei Mate X, and tri-folding smartphones that fold up like a wallet or a brochure.

From Ars Technica

Bubbles also change rapidly — their walls approach the speed of light as they fly outward — and feature quantum mechanical randomness and waviness.

From Quanta Magazine

In order for the shock wave to become an explosion, it must be driven outward with enough energy to escape the pull of the star’s gravity.

From Quanta Magazine

The person also had a cellphone mounted on his chest with the camera facing outward.

From Washington Post

Starting near Neptune’s orbit and extending outward from there, these frozen objects have been doing their own thing for eons, blind to most planetary drama.

From Popular-Science

But other groups are still, by all outward appearances, more entrenched.

From The Daily Beast

Chinese citizenry look outward too, but the relationship is often commercial, not cultural.

From The Daily Beast

We may be beset by deep political divisions, but the moderate, outward-looking center is large; not a fringe section of society.

From The Daily Beast

A 36-story tower designed by Rafael Vinoly nicknamed the “walkie-talkie” curves outward as it rises, ungainly and jarring.

From The Daily Beast

For such a source of outward joy to crumble so violently, what the hell happened?

From The Daily Beast

He saw with evident pleasure the outward and visible signs of the old earl's immense wealth.

From Project Gutenberg

She was not accustomed to an outward and spoken expression of affection, either in herself or in others.

From Project Gutenberg

A burst of indignation within seemed to do more for him than the outward buffetings.

From Project Gutenberg

Both of the orator's hands swung upward and outward, and he looked intently at the ceiling.

From Project Gutenberg

There was acute disharmony in the room, where a little time before there had been at least an outward show of harmony.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• apparent
• noticeable