outward

out·ward
O1U1T1W4A1R1D2
US/ˈaʊt.wɚd/UK/ˈaʊt.wəd/US/aʊtˈwɔɹd/UK/aʊtˈwɔːd/

adjective

Outer; located towards the outside.

“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.”

Less commonFirst used 10th c.Scrabble 11

Meanings

outward1

adjectiveoutward (comparative more outward, superlative most outward)

comparative more outward · superlative most outward

  1. 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
  2. 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
  3. 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
adverboutward (comparative more outward, superlative most outward)

comparative more outward · superlative most outward

  1. 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]
  2. 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
  3. nauticalAway from home.

outward2

verboutward (third-person singular simple present outwards, present participle outwarding, simple past and past participle outwarded)

present singular third person outwards · participle present outwarding · participle past outwarded · past outwarded

  1. 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

nounoutward (plural outwards)

plural outwards

  1. A ward in a detached building connected with a hospital.

Synonyms & antonyms

Similar

adjectiverelating to physical reality rather than with thoughts or the mind

Opposite

adjectivethat is going out or leaving

Similar

adverbtoward the outside

Similar
Opposite

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

outward · adjective, adverb

  1. Old Englishūtweard
  2. Middle Englishoutward
  3. Englishoutward

From Middle English outward, from Old English ūtweard, equivalent to out + -ward.

Full word history & related roots →

outward · verb

  1. Proto-Indo-European*úd
  2. Proto-Germanic*ūt
  3. Proto-Germanic*ūt-
  4. Old Englishūt-
  5. Middle Englishut-
  6. Englishout-
  7. Englishward
  8. Englishoutward

From out- + ward.

Full word history & related roots →

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

All rhymes →

Anagrams

Cite this entry
APA

outward. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/outward

MLA

“outward.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/outward. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “outward,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/outward.

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