on the inside
idiom
1
: on the inner side, edge, or surface of something
The number 22 car tried to pass the leader on the inside (of the track).
2
baseball
: on the side of home plate nearest the batter
The next pitch was a fastball on the inside.
3
—used to describe how someone is feeling
She may have seemed happy, but really she was sad on the inside.
4
: in a position within an organization or group : working for an organization
The bank robbers must have had help from someone on the inside.
5
: in prison
He wondered what life was like on the inside.
Examples of on the inside in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Fit your phone in the exterior slip pocket, a wallet, and glasses, and still more on the inside.
—
Rebecca Jones, Southern Living, 1 Jan. 2026
In addition to four zippered pockets on the exterior, this backpack is equipped with two padded sleeves—one designed to hold a laptop, the other for a tablet—plus two mesh slip pockets, and two additional zippered ones on the inside.
—Michelle Baricevic, Travel + Leisure, 31 Dec. 2025
Samsung has added the ability to start an activity on the exterior display and continue it on the inside by opening the TriFold to reveal the larger screen.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 30 Dec. 2025
According to the arrest documents, a 2019 Mazda CX-5 — driven by Brinson — was traveling north on the inside express lane, driving past the Road Ranger and continued driving north into the active scene.
—Hunter Geisel, CBS News, 28 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for on the inside
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Rebecca Jones, Southern Living, 1 Jan. 2026
In addition to four zippered pockets on the exterior, this backpack is equipped with two padded sleeves—one designed to hold a laptop, the other for a tablet—plus two mesh slip pockets, and two additional zippered ones on the inside.
—Michelle Baricevic, Travel + Leisure, 31 Dec. 2025
Samsung has added the ability to start an activity on the exterior display and continue it on the inside by opening the TriFold to reveal the larger screen.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 30 Dec. 2025
According to the arrest documents, a 2019 Mazda CX-5 — driven by Brinson — was traveling north on the inside express lane, driving past the Road Ranger and continued driving north into the active scene.
—Hunter Geisel, CBS News, 28 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for on the inside
Cite this Entry
“On the inside.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/on%20the%20inside. Accessed 8 Jan. 2026.
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