inside

1 of 4

noun

in·​side (ˌ)in-ˈsīd  ˈin-ˌsīd 

1

a

: an interior or internal part or place : the part within

b

: inward nature, thoughts, or feeling

c

: viscera, entrails

—usually used in plural

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

inside

2 of 4

adverb

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

inside

3 of 4

adjective

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

b

: behind-the-scenes

inside

4 of 4

preposition

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

Synonyms of inside

Noun

• interior
• within

Adjective

• confidential
• private
• secret
• hidden
• classified

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

Noun

Tyson is a route-technician with inside-out versatility and the ability to make plays at all three levels. —Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Dec. 2025

If disposing of a dead bird, wear a well-fitting face mask and disposable gloves, and use an inside-out plastic bag to pick up the carcass. —Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 14 Nov. 2025

Adverb

As firefighters were battling the flames inside, a mayday call went out after a firefighter was briefly separated from their colleagues. —Todd Feurer, CBS News, 12 Dec. 2025

The victim, who is visiting from California, was reportedly changing her baby in a bathroom when Aherne allegedly went inside and began stabbing her, FOX 5 NY reported, citing unnamed law enforcement sources. —Samira Asma-Sadeque, PEOPLE, 12 Dec. 2025

Adjective

My colleague Sam McDowell shared an inside look at the scene inside the locker room following a defeat that dealt a serious blow to the Chiefs’ playoff hopes. —Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 10 Dec. 2025

Recorded at Poland’s Camerimage Film Festival, this THR Presents conversation with cinematographer Barry Ackroyd offered a rare, inside look at how Kathryn Bigelow’s House of Dynamite — now on Netflix — achieves its unrelenting real-time intensity. —Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 9 Dec. 2025

Preposition

Municipal data had previously shown that traffic had fallen inside the Congestion Relief Zone, and that crashes, delays, and noise complaints are down since the program was introduced in January. —Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 14 Dec. 2025

Weissman, now 20, was also in her dorm room at Brown when the shots rang out inside the Barus & Holley building. —Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 14 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

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

Adverb

1803, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

circa 1616, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Preposition

1791, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing inside

• deep down (inside)
• inside address
• inside baseball
• inside job
• inside joke
• inside of
• inside out
• inside the door
• inside track
• inside voice
• know something inside and out
• know something inside out
• on the inside
• the inside
• the inside dope
• the inside scoop
• the inside/straight/real skinny
• the inside track
• turn (something) inside out

Rhymes for inside

• abide
• allied
• applied
• aside
• astride
• azide
• backside
• bankside
• bastide
• bayside
• bedside
• belied

Kids Definition

inside

1 of 4 noun

in·​side (ˈ)in-ˈsīd  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 adjective

1

: 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 preposition

1

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 adverb

1

: on the inside

the car is clean inside

2

: in or into the interior

went inside