outwardly

adverb

out·​ward·​ly ˈau̇t-wərd-lē How to pronounce outwardly (audio)
1
a
: on the outside : externally
b
: toward the outside
2
: in outward state, behavior, or appearance
was outwardly friendly

Examples of outwardly in a Sentence

The two brothers may be outwardly similar, but their personalities couldn't be more different. Though extremely nervous, she was able to remain outwardly calm during the interview. Outwardly, their marriage seemed quite normal.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
There is perhaps no one with direct access to the president who has been as outwardly and vociferously racist and bigoted. Ali Breland, The Atlantic, 5 Apr. 2025 Other Hollywood stars have outwardly supported Zegler and her young career. William Earl, Variety, 1 Apr. 2025 The big picture: In contrast to Musk, Denholm largely shuns the spotlight and isn't outwardly political. Nathan Bomey, Axios, 25 Mar. 2025 When Biden badly botched the debate, inflaming fears about his age, donors felt the campaign continued to hoodwink them, despite outwardly expressing their concerns to aides. Amie Parnes, The Hill, 24 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for outwardly

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of outwardly was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Outwardly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/outwardly. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

outwardly

adverb
out·​ward·​ly ˈau̇t-wərd-lē How to pronounce outwardly (audio)
: on the outside : in outward appearance
outwardly calm

More from Merriam-Webster on outwardly

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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