within

[ with-in, with- ]

/ wɪðˈɪn, wɪθ- /

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See synonyms for: within / withins on Thesaurus.com

adverb

in or into the interior or inner part; inside.

in or into a house, building, etc.; indoors: The fire was burning on the hearth within.

on, or as regards, the inside; internally.

inside an enclosed place, area, room, etc.: He was startled by a cry from within.

in the mind, heart, or soul; inwardly.

preposition

in or into the interior of or the parts or space enclosed by: within city walls.

inside of; in.

in the compass or limits of; not beyond: within view; to live within one's income.

at or to some point not beyond, as in length or distance; not farther than: within a radius of a mile.

at or to some amount or degree not exceeding: within two degrees of freezing.

in the course or period of, as in time: within one's memory; within three minutes.

inside of the limits fixed or required by; not transgressing: within the law.

in the field, sphere, or scope of: within the family; within one's power.

noun

the inside of a place, space, or building.

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His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of within

before 1000; Middle English withinne (preposition and adv.), Old English withinnan (adv.), equivalent to withwith- + innan from within, equivalent to inin + -an suffix of motion from

Words nearby within

with flying colors, pass with, with good grace, half a heart, with, withhold, withholding tax, within, within an ace of, within bounds, within call, withindoors, within-named

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use within in a sentence

Without it, they say, the disease would surely kill her within two years.
Should Teens Have The Right To Die?|Brandy Zadrozny|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Within a few swipes, I was already feeling that burst of romantic optimism you need the first day of the (Christian) new year.
My Week on Jewish Tinder|Emily Shire|January 5, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Her travel clique has been known to arrive at an airport, bags packed, passport-in-hand, within hours of spotting a deal.
‘We Out Here’: Inside the New Black Travel Movement|Charlise Ferguson|January 4, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Within minutes, it seems, of the disclosures of these tragic events, large numbers of people chose a side and stuck to it.
In 2015, Let’s Try for More Compassion|Gene Robinson|January 4, 2015|DAILY BEAST

Whatever happened overtook them both within a minute or so of that altitude change request, and they were never heard from again.
Flight 8501 Poses Question: Are Modern Jets Too Automated to Fly?|Clive Irving|January 4, 2015|DAILY BEAST
You need but will, and it is done; but if you relax your efforts, you will be ruined; for ruin and recovery are both from within.
Pearls of Thought|Maturin M. Ballou
Within the past thirty years civilization has rapidly taken possession of this lovely region.
Among the Sioux|R. J. Creswell
At present, Louis was too self-absorbed by the struggles within him, to look deep into what was passing around him.
The Pastor's Fire-side Vol. 3 of 4|Jane Porter
The Senora Moreno's heart broke within her, when those words passed her lips to her adored Felipe.
Ramona|Helen Hunt Jackson
General Santa Anna is within a mile of us with fifteen hundred men.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. CCCXXXIX. January, 1844. Vol. LV.|Various

British Dictionary definitions for within

within

/ (wɪˈðɪn) /

preposition

in; inside; enclosed or encased by

before (a period of time) has elapsedwithin a week

not beyond the limits of; not differing by more than (a specified amount) fromlive within your means; within seconds of the world record

adverb

formal inside; internally

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with within

within

In addition to the idioms beginning with within

within an ace of
within bounds
within call
within reach
within reason

also see:

in (within) reason
spitting distance, within
wheels within wheels

within

Origin of within

Words nearby within

Words related to within

How to use within in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for within

Other Idioms and Phrases with within