inner planet
noun
: any of the planets Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars whose orbits are within the asteroid belt
Examples of inner planet in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In doing so, scientists say the planet's gravity not only stabilized the inner planets' orbits but also shaped the structure of the solar system, carving out rings and gaps that influenced how, and when, rocky bodies formed.
—
Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 24 Oct. 2025
The young, cool star is orbited by four inner planets, one of which has just formed a large moon in the aftermath of a giant impact, followed by an asteroid belt, four gas giants, a Kuiper belt, and an Oort cloud.
—Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 2 Oct. 2025
Venus and Mercury, which orbit close to the sun, can only ever be seen close to sunrise or sunset, which is why planet arcs always happen just before sunrise or just after sunset, when one or both of the inner planets are visible.
—Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2025
If our sun were replaced with Betelgeuse, the star would not only engulf Earth and all the inner planets but reach past the orbit of Jupiter, according to NASA.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 26 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for inner planet
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 24 Oct. 2025
The young, cool star is orbited by four inner planets, one of which has just formed a large moon in the aftermath of a giant impact, followed by an asteroid belt, four gas giants, a Kuiper belt, and an Oort cloud.
—Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 2 Oct. 2025
Venus and Mercury, which orbit close to the sun, can only ever be seen close to sunrise or sunset, which is why planet arcs always happen just before sunrise or just after sunset, when one or both of the inner planets are visible.
—Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2025
If our sun were replaced with Betelgeuse, the star would not only engulf Earth and all the inner planets but reach past the orbit of Jupiter, according to NASA.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 26 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for inner planet
Cite this Entry
“Inner planet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inner%20planet. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share