inwardly

I1N1W4A1R1D2L1Y4
UK/ˈɪnwədli/US/ˈɪnwɚdli/

adverb

In an inward manner; to or toward the inside or to oneself.

“Jacob groaned inwardly when he was called on to answer the question.”

Similar
inlyinside
Opposite
outwardly
Less commonScrabble 15
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Meanings

adverbinwardly (not comparable)
  1. not comparableIn an inward manner; to or toward the inside or to oneself.

    Jacob groaned inwardly when he was called on to answer the question.

    Synonyms: inly

  2. not comparableobsoleteCompletely, fully.

    whanne Percyual vnderstode that she was his veray syster / he was inwardly glad and sayd / faire syster I shalle entre therin / For yf I be a mys creature or an vntrue knyghte there shalle I perysshe

    1485, Sir Thomas Malory, “ij”, in Le Morte Darthur, book XVI

Synonyms & antonyms

adverbIn an inward manner; to or toward the inside or to oneself.

Similar
inly

More synonyms by meaning

adverbwith respect to private feelings

Similar
inside
Opposite
outwardly
Also see
inside

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

From inward + -ly.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

inwardly. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/inwardly

MLA

“inwardly.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/inwardly. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “inwardly,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/inwardly.

Source: inwardly on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.