WordGarden.iooutside
A1Pronunciation
UK
- /aʊtsˈaɪd/
US
- /ˈaʊtˈsaɪd/
Meanings
Preposition
on or to the outer side of; not inside
Adverb
outdoors or on the exterior side
Noun
the outer side or exterior part of something
Adjective
located on or relating to the outer side
not belonging to or coming from within a group, organization, or system
Beyond the definition
"Outside" usually means not in a building or not in an enclosed place. It is where the open air is. You go outside when you leave your house, and you might leave your shoes outside the door.
It can also mean beyond a limit or beyond what is included. A problem may be outside your control, or an idea may be outside the plan. In everyday speech, it can also suggest not belonging to a group, as in the word "outsider."
The word "outside" most commonly refers to the area that is not enclosed by a building or other structure; it's the open air, the exterior world. For example: "The children were playing outside in the garden," or "Leave your shoes outside the door." It is fundamentally about location—everything that exists beyond the walls.
However, "outside" has much broader metaphorical meanings. It can describe something that is situated beyond a specific boundary or limit. A runner might push themselves to go "outside their comfort zone," meaning they challenge themselves to do more than they are used to. Similarly, a task might be "outside the scope" of a contract, meaning it was not part of the original agreement.
"Outside" also describes social dynamics. An "outsider" is someone who is not part of a particular group, organization, or inner circle. This could be a newcomer to a town or someone whose views differ from those of most other people.
Finally, in specialized fields like sports or business, "outside" has technical uses. In baseball, a pitch is "outside" if it is on the outer side of the plate from the batter's point of view. In business, an "outside investor" is a person or company that provides money from beyond the company itself. Whether you are talking about physical space, personal growth, or social and professional limits, "outside" points to what lies beyond the usual edge.
Examples
- 1
Outdoor play
The kids are playing outside.
- 2
School instruction
Please wait outside the classroom until the bell rings.
- 3
Home sounds
I heard a noise outside my window.
- 4
Container surface
The outside of the box was wet, but the books inside were dry.
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
First impression
From the outside, the house looked small.
- Phrasefrom the outside
judging by how something looks or seems at first
- 6
Project help
We need outside help to finish the project on time.
- Phraseoutside help
help from people not in your group or organization
- 7
Work boundaries
I try not to answer work emails outside office hours.
- Phraseoutside office hours
not during the usual working time
- 8
Expertise limit
That's outside my area of expertise.
- Patternoutside someone's area
not part of what they know or do
- 9
Official process
The decision was made outside the normal process.
- Phraseoutside the normal process
not using the usual official way
- 10
Free time
Outside of work, she spends most weekends hiking.
- Phraseoutside of work
when not working
- 11
Small possibility
There is an outside chance that the flight will leave tonight.
- Phrasean outside chance
a small chance
- 12
Creative thinking
We need to think outside the box if we want a better solution.
- Phrasethink outside the box
think in a new or unusual way
See also
Similar
- outdoors
- out
Shades of meaning
- externally
- in the open air
Contrast
- inside
- indoors
Used with (collocations)
- go outside
- wait outside
- play outside
- step outside
Explore
Forms and spellings
2 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- outsidenounadjectiveadverb
Forms
- outsidespluralnounadjectiveadverb