inner

[ in-er ]

adjective

1. situated within or farther within; interior:

   an inner door.

2. more intimate, private, or secret:

   the inner workings of the organization.

3. of or relating to the mind or spirit; mental; spiritual:

   the inner life.

4. not obvious; hidden or obscure:

   an inner meaning.

5. noting or relating to an aspect of a person's mind or personality that has not been fully discovered, revealed, or expressed:

   a place where anyone can find their inner artist regardless of skill level.

inner

/ ˈɪnə /

adjective

1. being or located further inside

   an inner room

2. happening or occurring inside

   inner movement

3. relating to the soul, mind, spirit, etc

   inner feelings

4. more profound or obscure; less apparent

   the inner meaning

5. exclusive or private

   inner regions of the party

6. chem (of a compound) having a cyclic structure formed or apparently formed by reaction of one functional group in a molecule with another group in the same molecule

   an inner ester

noun

1. Also calledred archery
   1. the red innermost ring on a target
   2. a shot which hits this ring

Derived Forms

• ˈinnerly, adverb
• ˈinnerness, noun

Other Words From

• inner·ly adverb adjective
• inner·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of inner¹

before 900; Middle English; Old English innera, comparative based on the adv. inne within, inside; inmost none, -er ⁴none

Example Sentences

He can appear tired in news conferences but there is also an inner fire which has enabled him to set and maintain his standards.

From BBC

With those inner gears finely tuned, the filmmakers sought a unique visual environment, a throwback artistically and a step forward technologically — one that felt human.

From Los Angeles Times

We learn about Hartman’s inner world and how he, a master of impressions, struggled to face difficult situations as himself.

From New York Times

That scenario, which is reportedly being considered by Trump and his inner circle, is not without its own issues.

From Salon

“Look, Matt Gaetz is a colleague of mine,” the Louisiana Republican said on “Fox News Sunday,” appearing after he was photographed alongside Trump and his inner circle over the weekend.

From Salon