outwardly

adverb

out·​ward·​ly ˈau̇t-wərd-lē 

1

a

: on the outside : externally

b

: toward the outside

2

: in outward state, behavior, or appearance

was outwardly friendly

Examples of outwardly in a Sentence

The two brothers may be outwardly similar, but their personalities couldn't be more different.

Though extremely nervous, she was able to remain outwardly calm during the interview.

Outwardly, their marriage seemed quite normal.

Recent Examples on the Web

Many people may feel hesitant to be themselves, while outwardly searching for a deeper connection. — Ethan M. Stone, USA Today, 20 July 2026

The survival horror film centers on a young couple on the run from cartel hitmen through the Sonoran Desert who take shelter with an outwardly kind older couple – who turn out to be predators of their own. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 15 July 2026

The light-hearted takedown of Rooney this week is another episode at odds with the outwardly polished approach of the elite footballers. — Philip Buckingham, New York Times, 10 July 2026

Outside of his mechanical knowledge and appreciation for the robots, Wyatt wanted to display his love for them outwardly and began begging his mom for Roomba and robot vacuum everything. — Tabitha Parent, PEOPLE, 10 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

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

Kids Definition

outwardly

adverb

out·​ward·​ly ˈau̇t-wərd-lē 

: on the outside : in outward appearance

outwardly calm