Meanings
outward1
comparative more outward · superlative most outward
- 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.
1 more example
Noble and milde this Perſean ſeemes to be, If outward habit Iudge the inward man.
c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire; London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act I, scene ii - Tending to the exterior or outside.
The fire will force its outward way.
1700, [John] Dryden, “Sigismond and Guiscardo”, in Fables Ancient and Modern; […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC - obsoleteForeign; not civil or intestine.
an outward war
a. 1628 (date written), John Hayward, The Life, and Raigne of King Edward the Sixt, London: […] [Eliot’s Court Press, and J. Lichfield at Oxford?] for Iohn Partridge, […], published 1630, →OCLC
comparative more outward · superlative most outward
- Towards the outside; away from the centre.First known use 10th c.
We are outward bound.
1 more example
The wrong side may be turned outward.
c. 1601–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Twelfe Night, or What You Will”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i] - obsoleteOutwardly, in outer appearances; publicly.First known use 14th–17th c.
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
1485, Sir Thomas Malory, “iij”, in Le Morte Darthur, book XVIII - nauticalAway from home.
outward2
present singular third person outwards · participle present outwarding · participle past outwarded · past outwarded
- obsoleterareTo ward off; to keep out.
Ne any armour could his dint out-ward; / But wheresoever it did light, it throughly shard.
1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book V, Canto I”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC
outward3
Synonyms & antonyms
adjectiverelating to physical reality rather than with thoughts or the mind
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
outward · adjective, adverb
- Old Englishūtweard
- Middle Englishoutward
- Englishoutward
From Middle English outward, from Old English ūtweard, equivalent to out + -ward.
More words from Middle English, Old English
Full word history & related roots →outward · verb
- Proto-Indo-European*úd
- Proto-Germanic*ūt
- Proto-Germanic*ūt-
- Old Englishūt-
- Middle Englishut-
- Englishout-
- Englishward
- Englishoutward
Translations
Bulgarian външен, навън
- външен (vănšen)outer; located towards the outside
- навън (navăn)toward the outside; away from the centre
Chinese Mandarin 向外
- 向外 (xiàng wài)toward the outside; away from the centre
Finnish ulompi, ulospäin
- ulompiouter; located towards the outside
- ulospäintoward the outside; away from the centre
French externe, vers l'extérieur
- externeouter; located towards the outside
- vers l'extérieurtoward the outside; away from the centre
German äußere, nach außen
- äußereouter; located towards the outside
- nach außentoward the outside; away from the centre
Irish amach
- amachtoward the outside; away from the centre
Japanese 外へ
- 外へ (soto e)toward the outside; away from the centre
Latin exter, externus
- exterouter; located towards the outside
- externusouter; located towards the outside
Māori mōwaho, ki waho
- mōwahoouter; located towards the outside
- ki wahoouter; located towards the outside
- whakawahotoward the outside; away from the centre
- ki wahotoward the outside; away from the centre
Romanian în afara
- în afaraouter; located towards the outside
Russian нару́жный, вне́шний
- нару́жный (narúžnyj)outer; located towards the outside
- вне́шний (vnéšnij)outer; located towards the outside
- нару́жу (narúžu)toward the outside; away from the centre
Spanish externo, exterior
- externoouter; located towards the outside
- exteriorouter; located towards the outside
Swedish yttre, yttre
- yttreouter; located towards the outside
- yttretoward the outside; away from the centre
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with outward
Anagrams
Cite this entry
outward. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/outward
“outward.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/outward. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “outward,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/outward.
Source: outward on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.