WordGarden.iooutlying
A1Pronunciation
UK
- /aʊtlˈaɪɪŋ/
US
- /ˈaʊtˌlaɪɪŋ/
Meanings
Adjective
situated away from the center or main area; peripheral
Beyond the definition
Imagine a small town among rolling hills. The outlying farms sit well beyond the town center, far from the busy market square. They are still part of the area, but they lie on its edges. "Outlying" describes places or parts that are far from a central place or away from the main part of something. It is most often used for physical locations, like outlying islands, villages, or areas on the edge of a city. Think of it as being beyond the center, not at the heart of things.
The word often suggests some separation or distance. An outlying district may feel quieter than the center of town, and outlying areas may be harder to reach. It is about what lies beyond the main, central area.
"Outlying" describes something that lies away from the main body, center, or most active part of a place. It usually refers to locations or areas that are distant, remote, or on the edge of a larger region. The idea is not simply "far away" but "away from the center" or "outside the main cluster." For example, outlying islands belong to a country or region but lie apart from the mainland or main group.
The term is used most naturally in geography, travel, government, and news writing. People speak of outlying villages, outlying districts, outlying regions, or outlying farms. In these cases, the word suggests that the place is connected to a larger whole but sits beyond its center. It can also carry a slight sense of isolation, because outlying places are often less busy, less populated, or harder to reach than central ones.
The word can sometimes appear in technical or academic writing for things that fall outside a main range or main group, but that is less common in everyday English than its use for places. In ordinary use, if you describe an area as outlying, you usually mean it is on the edge, away from the center, and somewhat separate from the main part. Whether you are talking about islands, roads, neighborhoods, or settlements, "outlying" points to something located beyond the core area.
Examples
- 1
Rural services
The hospital serves several outlying villages as well as the main town.
- 2
Suburbs
Buses are less frequent in the outlying suburbs.
- 3
Islands
During the storm, power cuts affected many outlying islands.
- 4
Data result
One outlying result made the average look higher than it really was.
- Domainin data, an outlying result
a result that is very different from the others
See also
Similar
Shades of meaning
- isolated
- far-flung
Contrast
Used with (collocations)
- outlying areas
- outlying villages
- outlying districts
Explore
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- outlyingadjective