outrageous

1 of 2

adjective

out·​ra·​geous (ˌ)au̇t-ˈrā-jəs 

1

a

: exceeding the limits of what is usual

The outrageous weather we have been afflicted with …

—New Yorker

outrageous prices

b

: not conventional or matter-of-fact : fantastic

outrageous costumes

an outrageous tale

2

: violent, unrestrained

outrageous behavior

3

a

: going beyond all standards of what is right or decent

an outrageous disregard of human rights

b

: deficient in propriety (see propriety sense 2a) or good taste

outrageous language

outrageous manners

outrageously adverb

outrageousness noun

outrageousness

2 of 2

noun

out·​ra·​geous·​ness

plural -es

: the quality or state of being outrageous

Examples of outrageous in a Sentence

Adjective

They will be punished for their outrageous behavior.

This is outrageous! I will not put up with such treatment.

She's known for her wild hairdos and outrageous costumes.

At first it seemed like an outrageous idea, but then we realized that it wasn't so crazy after all.

The article makes some outrageous claims about her personal life.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

And all while the rest of us pay the price for his outrageous tariffs, exploding debt, loss of 100,000 manufacturing jobs, soaring interest rates, gutting of our healthcare system, and runaway energy costs. — Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 28 Sep. 2026

Indeed, SpaceX aims to launch Starship 10,000 times per year by 2030, Musk has said — an outrageous cadence that the company thinks is possible because the vehicle is designed to be fully and rapidly reusable. — Mike Wall, Space.com, 28 Sep. 2026

Pause for a moment to reflect on how outrageous this assertion is. — Quanta Magazine, 25 Sep. 2026

Scroll on for a look at the most outrageous — and undeniably iconic — looks worn by Madonna, Cyndi Lauper, Tina Turner and more music legends at the very first VMAs in 1984. — Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 25 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English oultrageousnes, from oultrageous, outrageous + -nes -ness

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for outrageous

• advantageous
• contagious
• courageous
• disadvantageous

Kids Definition

outrageous

adjective

out·​ra·​geous au̇t-ˈrā-jəs 

: extremely annoying, insulting, or shameful : shocking

outrageously adverb

outrageousness noun

Legal Definition

outrageous

adjective

out·​ra·​geous au̇t-ˈrā-jəs 

: going beyond standards of decency : utterly intolerable in a civilized society

outrageous conduct

outrageously adverb

outrageousness noun