inside out

adverb

1

: in such a manner that the inner surface becomes the outer

turned the shirt inside out

2

: to a thorough degree

knows the subject inside out

3

: in or into a state of disarray often involving drastic reorganization

turned the business inside out

Synonyms of inside out

• systematically
• thoroughly
• in detail
• at length
• from the ground up
• from stem to stern

Examples of inside out in a Sentence

after 20 years of employment there, he has come to know the company inside out

Recent Examples on the Web

Her approach focuses on turning the duvet cover inside out, aligning it with the insert at the top corners, and securing it before flipping everything right side out. —ABC News, 30 Apr. 2026

Along with sorting laundry, Martha recommends emptying pockets, zipping zippers, opening up buttons, tying loose strings, turning garments inside out, and blotting any stains to prevent them from spreading. —Wendy Rose Gould, Martha Stewart, 30 Apr. 2026

Beloki knows the festival inside out. —John Hopewell, Variety, 27 Apr. 2026

The reversible tote bag comes in 24 colors, and as the name suggests, each can be flipped inside out for a totally different aesthetic. —Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 25 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for inside out

• about
• bailout
• blackout
• blowout
• breakout
• burnout
• buyout
• checkout
• closeout
• cutout
• devout
• dropout

Kids Definition

inside out

adverb

1

: in such a way that the inner surface becomes the outer

2

: to a thorough degree

knows the family history inside out