outward
Americanadjective
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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.
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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.
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belonging or pertaining to external actions or appearances, as opposed to inner feelings, mental states, etc..
an outward show of grief.
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that lies toward the outside; that is on the outer side; exterior.
an outward court.
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of or relating to the outside, outer surface, or exterior.
to make repairs on the outward walls of a house.
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pertaining to the outside of the body; external.
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pertaining to the body, as opposed to the mind or spirit.
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belonging or pertaining to what is external to oneself.
outward influences.
noun
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that which is external; the external or material world.
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outward appearance.
adverb
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toward the outside; out.
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visibly expressing one's inner feelings, mental state, etc.
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away from port.
a ship bound outward.
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Obsolete. on the outside; externally.
adjective
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of or relating to what is apparent or superficial
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of or relating to the outside of the body
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belonging or relating to the external, as opposed to the mental, spiritual, or inherent
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of, relating to, or directed towards the outside or exterior
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(of a ship, part of a voyage, etc) leaving for a particular destination
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the body as opposed to the soul
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facetious clothing
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adverb
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(of a ship) away from port
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a variant of outwards
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of outward
before 900; Middle English; Old English ūtweard. See out, -ward
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 shift showed that the gas was moving outward, carrying oxygen, carbon and other heavy elements away from the galaxies and into intergalactic space.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 2, 2026
He said the Orange Order should use their outward route to Drumcree Church as their return route, rather than the Garvaghy Road.
From BBC ● Sep. 29, 2026
In much the same way, Fallingwater’s projecting trays of space, which step up and outward, are a poetic paraphrase of what lies below, the stepped cascade that is nature’s own staircase.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026
Meanwhile, “dark energy” seems to permeate every square inch of space, pushing outward and accelerating the universe’s expansion.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 2026
Small waves in the water spread outward from Wind’s body.
From "Healer of the Water Monster" by Brian Young
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.
