exterior

adjective

ex·te·ri·or | \ ek-ˈstir-ē-ər

Definition of exterior

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : being on an outside surface : situated on the outside

2 : observable by outward signs his exterior quietness is belied by an occasional nervous twitch — Current Biography

3 : suitable for use on outside surfaces

exterior

noun

Definition of exterior (Entry 2 of 2)

1a : an exterior part or surface : outside

b : outward manner or appearance

2 : a representation (as on stage or film) of an outdoor scene also : a scene filmed outdoors

Other Words from exterior Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about exterior

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Synonyms & Antonyms for exterior

Synonyms: Adjective

external, outer, outside, outward

Synonyms: Noun

face, outside, shell, skin, surface, veneer

Antonyms: Adjective

inner, inside, interior, internal, inward

Antonyms: Noun

inside, interior

Examples of exterior in a Sentence

Adjective

the house's exterior walls badly need to be painted

Noun

The building has a rather plain exterior. the exterior of the tooth consists of very hard enamel

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

Much of biblical literature is consumed with resisting them, both as exterior forces that opposed the ways of God and interior pulls that tempt good people with assimilation. — Rachel Held Evans, Washington Post, "The Bible is literature for the resistance," 12 July 2018 His son Bob, currently director of exterior design at the Buick division of General Motors, remembered the car fondly and went looking for it, decades later. — A.j. Baime, WSJ, "Our Favorite Rides of 2018," 24 Dec. 2018 The building’s exterior architecture–which feels equal parts au courant and a form of the future–transitions into a luminescent and geometric interior, inspired by Light and Space artists of the 1960s. — Lucia Tonelli, ELLE Decor, "Bottega Veneta Just Opened Their Futuristic Six-Story Tokyo Flagship," 8 Dec. 2018 The Studio City, California home — which was used for exterior shots in the show — received eight offers, reports the Los Angeles Times, one of them from Lance Bass. — Danielle Tullo, House Beautiful, "Lance Bass Feels "Used" After Losing Brady Bunch House In Bidding War," 6 Aug. 2018 The exterior shots of Drake & Josh's pad were of a house located at 3878 Alonzo Avenue in Encino, California. — Stacey Grant, Seventeen, ""Drake & Josh"'s House Is Under Construction," 21 May 2018 The video follows the song’s moody and mysterious emotional flow, starting with its subdued color palette and sprawling exterior shots that build into surreal splendor as the metaphorical medicine starts to take effect. — Bryan Kress, Billboard, "Alae Fall 'Stone Cold' Crazy in Love in New Video: Exclusive," 20 Apr. 2018 Although La La Land filmed exterior shots at the actual Griffith Park Observatory—the landmark that appears in the James Dean classic Rebel Without a Cause—Wasco actually re-created the inside of the planetarium. — Julie Miller, HWD, "The Clever Tricks That Made La La Land Look Technicolor and Timeless," 16 Feb. 2017 Make Your Home Slip-Proof Fix loose treads on exterior steps, loose deck boards, or loose pavers on front walkways. — Roy Berendsohn, Popular Mechanics, "15 Things to Do Around the House Before the Holidays," 16 Nov. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

The advent of cities made things worse, in a way, forcing countless passers-by to experience what happens when a building’s exterior wall becomes an impromptu bathroom. — Cleve R. Wootson Jr., The Seattle Times, "Paris tries a solution to peeing on historic streets: open sidewalk urinals," 14 Aug. 2018 There is also about 4,000 square feet of exterior living space. — Candace Taylor, WSJ, "Trump Elector Asks $44.5 Million for Mansion Near Mar-a-Lago," 11 Dec. 2018 The higher levels, which provide more ambient sound, tend to amplify the exterior noises in strange ways, providing an almost ASMR-like experience, while the lower levels might as well just be cancelling the noise. — Dan Seifert, The Verge, "Dolby Dimension review: headphones for your home," 14 Nov. 2018 Their aura of secrecy—mandated by Venetian law, which forbade any exterior sign for Jewish houses of worship—made them seem all the more precious. — Leslie Camhi, ELLE Decor, "Inside the World's Most Beautiful Synagogues," 5 Nov. 2018 The exterior is a clean, art deco white—but that’s where the simplicity ends. — Elise Taylor, Vogue, "A First Look at the Faena Bazaar, Miami Beach’s New Design Destination," 3 Dec. 2018 Hotel Yan Beyond an untidy metal lattice exterior is a surprisingly on-point lobby that resembles a hip coworking space, with long tables and workbenches, a cafe-bar and mod chandeliers. — Audrey Phoon, Condé Nast Traveler, "25 Best Hotels in Singapore," 28 Feb. 2018 Listing image by Peter Bright A desktop system without desktop-class performance As much as the internals of the Mac mini are greatly improved, the exterior is almost unaltered. — Peter Bright, Ars Technica, "Mac mini review—a testament to Apple’s stubbornness," 23 Nov. 2018 The exterior of the building is of Italian Renaissance Style, and is faced in glazed terra cotta. — Paul Dorpat, The Seattle Times, "The fate of the Rhodes Stores turned on a dime," 26 Oct. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'exterior.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.