in·side
(ˌ)in-ˈsīd 
ˈin-ˌsīd
ˈin-ˌsīd
1
2
: an inner side or surface
3
a
: a position of power, trust, or familiarity
only someone on the inside could have told
b
: confidential information
has the inside on what happened at the convention
4
: the area nearest a specified or implied point of reference: such as
a
: the side of home plate nearest the batter
b
: the middle portion of a playing area
c
: the area near or underneath the basket in basketball
1
: on the inner side
2
: in or into the interior
stayed inside during the storm
3
: to or on the inside
4
: in prison
1
: of, relating to, or being on or near the inside
an inside pitch
2
a
: relating or known to a select group
inside information
an inside joke
1
a
: in or into or as if in or into the interior of
waited inside the church
b
: on the inner side of
just inside the door
2
: within
inside an hour
Examples of inside in a Sentence
Noun
The inside of the church is quite beautiful.
I've never seen the inside of a computer before.
Adverb
I cleaned my car inside and out.
The candy is chewy inside.
We went inside during the storm.
Step inside and look at our menu.
He got put inside for burglary.
Adjective
the inside edge of her foot
He gave us an inside view of the situation.
I got the inside story from a friend who works there.
Preposition
We waited inside the store.
Several people were trapped inside the burning building.
She kept her hands inside her pockets.
His feelings were building up inside him.
He lives inside the city limits.
Sources inside the company indicate that there are disagreements about the change in management.
Recent Examples on the Web
Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 16 Jan. 2026
In addition to the original glass version, which will still be available, designer Sabine Marcelis has created a smart version of the lamp with a matte exterior and an inside that can be programmed with different colors.
—Sarah Everett, The Spruce, 13 Jan. 2026
Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 3 Feb. 2026
More than 40 people were inside when two men got into a fight in an upstairs computer area, police said.
—David Aaro, AJC.com, 3 Feb. 2026
Ilona Limonta-Volkova, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
In 2021, Inside Wire in Colorado became the first radio station in the world to broadcast 24/7 from inside prisons to the public.
—Victoria Valenzuela, Los Angeles Times, 26 Jan. 2026
Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 29 Jan. 2026
When financial thinking lives outside the business, leadership weakens inside it.
—Melissa Houston, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for inside
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Noun
So we were taught not to show your true emotions but always keep it [inside] to create harmony.
—Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 16 Jan. 2026
In addition to the original glass version, which will still be available, designer Sabine Marcelis has created a smart version of the lamp with a matte exterior and an inside that can be programmed with different colors.
—Sarah Everett, The Spruce, 13 Jan. 2026
Adverb
The suspects also provided images of counterfeit passports and passport cards, with metadata that indicated the images were taken inside or within the immediate vicinity of El Primo Restaurant — a restaurant operated by Raul Fernandez Vicioso in Leominster, Massachusetts, federal prosecutors said.
—Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 3 Feb. 2026
More than 40 people were inside when two men got into a fight in an upstairs computer area, police said.
—David Aaro, AJC.com, 3 Feb. 2026
Adjective
The new generation of infrastructure companies is closing that gap by allowing real financial operations to happen natively inside conversations.
—Ilona Limonta-Volkova, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
In 2021, Inside Wire in Colorado became the first radio station in the world to broadcast 24/7 from inside prisons to the public.
—Victoria Valenzuela, Los Angeles Times, 26 Jan. 2026
Preposition
These include microvalves that sort particles by size inside extremely narrow channels.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 29 Jan. 2026
When financial thinking lives outside the business, leadership weakens inside it.
—Melissa Houston, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for inside
Cite this Entry
“Inside.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inside. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
inside
1 of 4 noun
in·side
(ˈ)in-ˈsīd
ˈin-ˌsīd
ˈin-ˌsīd
1
: an inner side or surface
2
a
: an interior or internal part
b
: inward nature, thoughts, or feeling
c
: entrails
—usually used in plural
inside
2 of 4 adjective1
: of, relating to, or being on or near the inside
an inside wall
2
: relating or known to a special group of people
inside information
inside
3 of 4 preposition1
a
: in or into the interior of
they are inside the house
b
: on the inner side of
put the dot inside the curve
2
: before the end of : within
inside an hour
inside
4 of 4 adverb1
: on the inside
the car is clean inside
2
: in or into the interior
went inside
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