Outwards

//ˈaʊtwɚdz// adv

adv ·Rare ·Advanced level

Definitions

Adverb
  1. 1
    From the interior toward the exterior; in an outward direction.

    "Light falling on them is not reflected outwards."

  2. 2
    Outwardly; (merely) on the surface. obsolete

    "Wo be to you scrybes, and pharises ypocrites, for ye are lyke unto paynted tombes which appere beautyfull outwardes: but are within full off deed mens bones and of all fylthynes."

Adverb
  1. 1
    toward the outside wordnet

Synonyms

All synonyms
apparentlyforthopenlyoutoutsideoutward

Example

More examples

"They started in the centre and worked outwards."

Etymology

From Middle English outwardes, from Old English ūtweardes; equivalent to outward + -s or out + -wards. Cognate with German auswärts.

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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.