What does "outward" mean?
A ward in a detached building connected with a hospital.
Outward
/ˈaʊt.wɚd/ adj, adv, noun, verb
adj, adv, noun, verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A ward in a detached building connected with a hospital.
- Grammar: outward is listed as adj, adv, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: abducted, apparent, apparent, apparent claim.
- Useful contrasts: centripetal, concealed, hidden.
- Usage evidence: No matter how we try, it is impossible to distinguish good people from bad people by outward appearances.
How to use "outward"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "outward" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "outward" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "outward" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "outward" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "outward" is acting as adj, adv, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "abducted" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "outward", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A ward in a detached building connected with a hospital.
Verb
- 1 To ward off; to keep out. obsolete, rare
"Ne any armour could his dint out-ward; / But wheresoever it did light, it throughly shard."
Adjective
- 1 Outer; located towards the outside.
- 2 Visible, noticeable.
"By all outward indications, he's a normal happy child, but if you talk to him, you will soon realize he has some psychological problems."
- 3 Tending to the exterior or outside.
"The fire will force its outward way."
- 4 Foreign; not civil or intestine. obsolete
"an outward war"
Adjective
- 1 relating to physical reality rather than with thoughts or the mind wordnet
- 2 that is going out or leaving wordnet
Adverb
- 1 Towards the outside; away from the centre.
"We are outward bound."
- 2 Outwardly, in outer appearances; publicly. obsolete
"ANd thenne the quene lete make a preuy dyner in london vnto the knyȝtes of the round table / and al was for to shewe outward that she had as grete Ioye in al other knyghtes of the table round as she had in sir launcelot / al only at that dyner she had sir Gawayne and his bretheren"
- 3 Away from home.
Adverb
- 1 toward the outside wordnet
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"No matter how we try, it is impossible to distinguish good people from bad people by outward appearances."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "outward"?
Common synonyms include: abducted, apparent, apparent, apparent claim, apparently, appearing.
How do you use "outward" in a sentence?
No matter how we try, it is impossible to distinguish good people from bad people by outward appearances.
How do you pronounce "outward"?
Pronounced /ˈaʊt.wɚd/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English outward, from Old English ūtweard, equivalent to out + -ward.
Etymology 2
From out- + ward.