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.
Her next-door neighbor and fellow actor Terry (Pete Holmes) is outwardly supportive but really just wants to get her into bed. Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 18 Oct. 2024 But from this outwardly modest architect came visual drama that gave rise to a mythical idea of living well in New York City. David Netto, Curbed, 17 Oct. 2024 Beyoncé is not usually considered an outwardly political musician. Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024 Selected for the main competition at this year’s Tokyo International Film Festival, Z’s new film, The Unseen Sister, outwardly at least, has similar themes to Nina Wu — that is, the habitual abuse of women in the entertainment industry as well as the trials of women at the margins of society. Abid Rahman, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Nov. 2024 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

Dictionary Entries Near outwardly

Cite this Entry

“Outwardly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/outwardly. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

outwardly

adverb
out·​ward·​ly ˈau̇t-wərd-lē How to pronounce outwardly (audio)
: on the outside : in outward appearance
outwardly calm
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!