within

1 of 4

adverb

with·​in wi-ˈt͟hin How to pronounce within (audio) -ˈthin How to pronounce within (audio)
1
: in or into the interior : inside
2
: in one's inner thought, disposition, or character : inwardly
search within for a creative impulseKingman Brewster †1988

within

2 of 4

preposition

1
used as a function word to indicate enclosure or containment
2
used as a function word to indicate situation or circumstance in the limits or compass of: such as
a
: before the end of
gone within a week
b(1)
: not beyond the quantity, degree, or limitations of
live within your income
(2)
: in or into the scope or sphere of
within the jurisdiction of the state
(3)
: in or into the range of
within reach
within sight
(4)
used as a function word to indicate a specified difference or margin
came within two points of a perfect mark
within a mile of the town
3
: to the inside of : into
sunk the sea within the earthWilliam Shakespeare

within

3 of 4

noun

: an inner place or area
revolt from within

within

4 of 4

adjective

: being inside : enclosed
the within indictment

Examples of within in a Sentence

Adverb We could hear sounds coming from within. The sign on the door says “Help Wanted: Inquire Within.” We all try to appear strong and attempt to hide the scared little child within. They were outwardly calm but nervous within. Preposition They live within the city limits. We could hear sounds coming from within his apartment. Reports from within the company indicate a change in policy. Most students find a job within a year of graduating. She made several friends within days of moving into her new apartment. He entered the house, and within seconds, he was surrounded by children. Everything I need is within a few miles of my apartment. Noun structural decay had started from within
Recent Examples on the Web
Adverb
Before an injury took her out of the season, Tiler Peck, partnered by the scrupulous Tyler Angle, displayed a sweeping, unselfconscious musicality seemingly driven from deep within. Gia Kourlas, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2024 Gunfire erupted from within and Mack fell at the front door after entering, the affidavit says. Bill Lukitsch, Kansas City Star, 1 Mar. 2024 My brief time in East Africa has shown me that despite adversity, which can be found anywhere, hope comes from within and can illuminate the path toward a brighter future. The Sorenson Impact Institute, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2024 First, the notion that Taylor can promote someone from within and announce the deal right away is incorrect. Kelsey Conway, The Enquirer, 25 Jan. 2024 They can be considered from above, and sometimes below; from without, and sometimes within. Mark Jenkins, Washington Post, 2 Feb. 2024 Baltimore has the personnel to promote from within and is an attractive destination for those on the outside, but continuity is often a hallmark of continued success in the NFL. Brian Wacker, Baltimore Sun, 31 Jan. 2024 Promoting from within would be the easiest option: Someone who can immediately understand the inner workings of the 100-year-old company with over 220,000 workers around the world. Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 13 Jan. 2024 Floating freely within is a mass that, isolated from the rest of the Universe, should provide a stable platform to pick up any changes in the laser. John Timmer, Ars Technica, 25 Jan. 2024
Preposition
Large hail, damaging wind gusts, drenching rainfall and even a few tornadoes are all possible within severe thunderstorms Wednesday and Wednesday night. Mary Gilbert, CNN, 13 Mar. 2024 The goal was to create the most onboard space as possible within the existing footprint. Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 13 Mar. 2024 The belief within much of CNN is that he was being set up to fail. Stephen Battaglio, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2024 Laurel is an independent city of about 30,000 within the boundaries of Prince George’s County. Martin Weil, Washington Post, 13 Mar. 2024 The explanation for Tom’s disappearance is preposterous, but makes a certain amount of sense within the movie’s underdog view of stunt people. Peter Debruge, Variety, 13 Mar. 2024 And, as the Ethicist mentions, there’s nothing stopping the wife from joining or creating a parallel women’s group within this particular circle of acquaintances, or elsewhere. Kwame Anthony Appiah, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2024 Relationships within such networks are usually more disposable. Jonathan Haidt, The Atlantic, 13 Mar. 2024 Custom furnishings will be made to order and shipped within four weeks, and includes headboards, benches and room dividers in seven exclusive fabrics. Danielle Directo-Meston, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Mar. 2024
Noun
This revealed that the within-subjects standard deviation was on average nearly eight times higher than the corresponding between-subjects standard deviation. Neuroskeptic, Discover Magazine, 23 June 2018 Cream blush will give you that lit-from-within glow. Annie Blay, Allure, 23 Nov. 2022 Fake a glow-from-within look with Neutrogena’s cult-favorite Hydro Boost serum. Nerisha Penrose, ELLE, 22 Nov. 2022 With the Reboot season finale hitting Hulu this week, EW caught up with Levitan (who previously created Modern Family) for a bookend Q&A about shows-within-shows, his hopes for season 2, and how his real life is starting to blend with the sitcom. Christian Holub, EW.com, 25 Oct. 2022 Johnson is delicious in this scene, a perfect mix of bumbling and lit-from-within, but her performance crumbles like clay in the grasp of such a plodding script. Lauren Puckett-Pope, ELLE, 16 July 2022 For the lit-from-within glow, the Beauty Light Wand in Peachgasm was applied and set with Cheek to Chic powder blush in Pillow Talk, the brand's signature shade. Kirbie Johnson, Allure, 10 June 2022 Add a few swipes of this clean and buzzy highlighter from RMS Beauty to the high points of your face for an easy, glow-from-within look. Tiffany Dodson, Harper's BAZAAR, 21 Apr. 2022 Backlit blush is also a way into the shimmer blush trend that feels a little more toned down, and with zero chances of looking overly glittery—just lit-from-within. Bella Cacciatore, Glamour, 18 Apr. 2022
Adjective
Her beauty-from-within philosophy is bolstered by mindfulness, too. Kiana Murden, Vogue, 3 Nov. 2022 Expecting both John Brown and Cole Beasley to have solid games in PPR formats is well within reason as QB Josh Allen could exploit the holes in the backend of the Jets’ defense. Frankie Taddeo, SI.com, 4 Sep. 2019 Despite scoring just four goals during that stretch, Wednesday's game stayed well within reach as the Dash found yet failed to convert solid opportunities until Mewis leveled the match. Glynn A. Hill, Houston Chronicle, 23 May 2018 The formula is available in seven super-flattering shades and can be worn alone, blended with foundation, or applied as a highlighter to give skin a dewy, lit-from-within appearance. Kathleen Mulpeter, Health.com, 5 Mar. 2018 While the Rockets continued to misfire, going 1 of 6 on 3s in the final three minutes of the half, the Hornets made enough free throws to stay within range as Walker sank a 3-pointer and four free throws to cut the lead to 10. Jonathan Feigen, Houston Chronicle, 27 Oct. 2017 The works within are notable for their inventive use of negative space and intentional omissions, which goes to show that what isn’t present can often be just as affecting as what is. Ryan P. Smith, Smithsonian, 8 Sep. 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'within.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adverb

Middle English withinne, from Old English withinnan, from with + innan inwardly, within, from in

First Known Use

Adverb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Preposition

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1748, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of within was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near within

Cite this Entry

“Within.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/within. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

within

1 of 3 adverb
with·​in wit͟h-ˈin How to pronounce within (audio) with- How to pronounce within (audio)
1
: in or into the interior : inside
2
: inside oneself : inwardly
look within for imaginative ideas

within

2 of 3 preposition
1
: in or into the inner part of
within the house
2
: not beyond the bounds or limits of
within sight

within

3 of 3 noun
: an inner place or area

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