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.
Youssef makes Jeff bro-ish enough to hang with this crowd but outsider enough to chafe at its hubris. Judy Berman, Time, 23 May 2025 Not because of the wildfire that scorched parts of the coast back in January, but because five months later, Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu’s main artery, is still effectively closed to outsiders, cutting off the bulk of tourist traffic that keeps the town’s businesses afloat. Benjamin Svetkey, HollywoodReporter, 21 May 2025 Halperin captures the other side of the immigrant crisis — a world that few outsiders see — through the story of Kurt Ver Beek, an American academic and missionary of sorts who several decades ago moved to Honduras with his wife, Jo Ann Van Engen, to minister to the poor. Katherine Corcoran, New York Times, 20 May 2025 An immigrant who adores a good fashion moment, Currie writes about outsiders looking for home, balancing humanist contemplation with a sprinkle of theatrical flair. Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 19 May 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 31 May. 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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