outside

American  

[out-sahyd, -sahyd, out-sahyd, out-, out-sahyd, out-sahyd, out-sahyd] / ˈaʊtˈsaɪd, -ˌsaɪd, ˌaʊtˈsaɪd, ˈaʊt-, ˌaʊtˈsaɪd, ˌaʊtˈsaɪd, ˈaʊtˌsaɪd /

noun

1. the outer side, surface, or part; exterior.

   The outside of the house needs painting.

2. the external aspect or appearance.

3. the space without or beyond an enclosure, institution, boundary, etc..

   a prisoner about to resume life on the outside.

4. a position away or farther away from the inside or center.

   The horse on the outside finished second.

5. an outside passenger or place on a coach or other vehicle.

6. Northern Canada and Alaska. the settled or more populous part of Canada or the U.S.

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adjective

1. being, acting, done, or originating beyond an enclosure, boundary, etc..

   outside noises; news from the outside world.

2. situated on or pertaining to the outside; exterior; external.

   an outside television antenna.

3. situated away from the inside or center; farther or farthest away from the inside or center.

   the outside lane.

4. not belonging to or connected with a specified institution, society, etc..

   outside influences; outside help.

5. extremely unlikely or remote.

   an outside chance for recovery.

   Synonyms:

   slight, distant, faint

6. extreme or maximum.

   an outside estimate.

7. being in addition to one's regular work or duties.

   an outside job.

8. working on or assigned to the outside, as of a place or organization.

   an outside man to care for the grounds.

9. Baseball. (of a pitched ball) passing, but not going over, home plate on the side opposite the batter.

   The fastball was high and outside.

adverb

1. on or to the outside, exterior, or space without.

   Take the dog outside.

2. in or to an area that is removed from or beyond a given place or region.

   The country's inhabitants seldom travel outside.

preposition

1. on or toward the outside of.

   There was a noise outside the door.

2. beyond the confines or borders of.

   visitors from outside the country.

3. with the exception of; aside from.

   She has no interests outside her work.

idioms

1. outside of, other than; exclusive of; excepting.

   Outside of us, no one else came to the party.

2. at the outside, at the utmost limit; at the maximum.

   There weren't more than ten at the outside.

outside British  

preposition

1. (sometimes foll by of) on or to the exterior of

   outside the house

2. beyond the limits of

   outside human comprehension

3. apart from; other than

   no-one knows outside you and me

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adjective

1. (prenominal) situated on the exterior

   an outside lavatory

2. remote; unlikely

   an outside chance

3. not a member of

4. the greatest possible or probable (prices, odds, etc)

5. (of a road lane, esp in a dual carriageway or motorway) situated nearer or nearest to the central reservation, for use by faster or overtaking vehicles

adverb

1. outside a specified thing or place; out of doors

2. slang not in prison

noun

1. the external side or surface

   the outside of the garage

2. the external appearance or aspect

3. the exterior or outer part of something

4. (of a path, pavement, etc) the side nearest the road or away from a wall or building

5. sport an outside player, as in football

6. (plural) the outer sheets of a ream of paper

7. (in the north) the settled parts of Canada

8. informal at the most or at the greatest extent

   two days at the outside

9. another term for inside out See inside

outside More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing outside

• at most (the outside)

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Usage

The use of outside of and inside of, although fairly common, is generally thought to be incorrect or non-standard: she waits outside (not outside of ) the school

Etymology

Origin of outside

First recorded in 1495–1505; out- + side ¹

Explanation

The outside of something is the part that's visible to the world. A neighbor who's used to the tidy outside of your house might be shocked by the mess inside. Your perfect chocolate chip cookies might be crunchy on the outside, but soft inside, and when your friends eat them, they'll look as happy on the outside as they feel inside. Outside is also an adjective, for talking about the outside temperature or your outside lights that automatically turn on at dusk. If you're on the outside of some group, you don't feel like you belong, and if someone talks about "an outside chance," they mean a very unlikely possibility.

Example Sentences

They captured images using a filter at 11.3 μm, which sits just outside a wavelength associated with ammonia molecules NH3.

From Science Daily • Apr. 22, 2026

About 30 members of the California Fast Food Workers Union, along with the two striking Carl’s Jr. workers, gathered outside of the restaurant on Vineland Avenue.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 22, 2026

Reporters spotted him outside loading his belongings into the back of a Mustang convertible with vanity plates “ART WAR.”

From Salon • Apr. 22, 2026

"Few people inside or outside the company understand Apple's product architecture as well as he does," Jeronimo said.

From Barron's • Apr. 21, 2026

A scream erupted from outside, so close that Clare’s fur spiked upright.

From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman

Related Words

• farther
• foreign
• out