outsider

noun

out·​sid·​er ˌau̇t-ˈsī-dər How to pronounce outsider (audio)
ˈau̇t-ˌsī-
1
: a person who does not belong to a particular group
2
chiefly British : a contender not expected to win
outsiderness noun

Examples of outsider in a Sentence

To outsiders, the ritual may seem strange. She felt like an outsider in her new school. An outsider defeated the champion! She was a rank outsider who managed to win.
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.
Hayes acknowledged Thompson’s journey ahead of the match as a cautionary tale of how a mistimed moment can obscure a player’s potential, especially from an outsider’s perspective. Tamerra Griffin, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025 The only non-No. 1 seed in the Final Four, UConn was viewed as the outsider in the field, which also included UCLA and Texas, who lost their respective games on Friday, April 4. Anna Lazarus Caplan, People.com, 6 Apr. 2025 All outsiders — Indians and foreigners alike — are banned from traveling within 3 miles of the island, a rule implemented in a bid to protect its native Sentinelese tribe, believed to be made up of some 150 people. Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 5 Apr. 2025 The last time the intelligence service had an outsider as head was in 1996, after the Shin Bet failed to prevent the assassination of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. Arkansas Online, 1 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for outsider

Word History

First Known Use

1800, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of outsider was in 1800

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Cite this Entry

“Outsider.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/outsider. Accessed 14 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

outsider

noun
out·​sid·​er (ˈ)au̇t-ˈsīd-ər How to pronounce outsider (audio)
: a person who does not belong to a particular group

More from Merriam-Webster on outsider

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