inner

adjective

in·​ner ˈi-nər How to pronounce inner (audio)
1
a
: situated farther in
the inner bark
b
: being near a center especially of influence
the inner circles of political power
2
a
: of or relating to the mind or spirit
the inner life
b
: existing as an often repressed part of one's psychological makeup
inner child
inner artist
inner noun
innerly adverb

Examples of inner in a Sentence

She led the guests to an inner room. the inner face of the arch the inner lining of the jacket listening to her inner voice
Recent Examples on the Web As if Zendaya's hair wasn't shiny enough, makeup artist Raoul Alejandre turned up the shimmer to level 1000 with dewy, glowy skin, warm apricot eye shadow, and shimmery champagne shadow in Zendaya's inner corners for extra sparkle. Kara Nesvig, Allure, 21 Oct. 2024 And the way to best affect outcomes is to find the eye of the hurricane, and act from that place of inner strength and wisdom. Arianna Huffington, TIME, 21 Oct. 2024 To explore the outer world is amazing, and to explore the inner world is no less vast. Lea Lane, Forbes, 20 Oct. 2024 Studies show smoking may contribute to tinnitus by reducing blood flow and irritating the inner air. Carley Millhone, Health, 20 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for inner 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'inner.' 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

Middle English, from Old English innera, comparative of inne within

First Known Use

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

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

Dictionary Entries Near inner

Cite this Entry

“Inner.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inner. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

inner

adjective
in·​ner ˈin-ər How to pronounce inner (audio)
1
a
: situated farther in
inner room
b
: being near a center especially of influence
an inner circle of advisors
2
: of or relating to the mind or spirit
inner peace
innerly adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on inner

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!