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.
The mind can become trapped in narrow loops of worry and rumination, or it can move outward, forming new associations and imagining multiple future possibilities.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 3, 2026
You want the straight side of each triangle to face outward while both triangles’ angled sides face inward toward each other.
From Los Angeles Times • May 3, 2026
Some approaches take the current state of the universe as given and work outward from there.
From Science Daily • May 3, 2026
Star formation begins in dense central regions and slowly spreads outward over billions of years, a process known as "inside-out" growth.
From Science Daily • Apr. 29, 2026
Ivan kicked his feet outward, but they hit nothing.
From Anya and the Nightingale by Sofiya Pasternack
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.
