on the outside

idiom

1

: on the outer side, edge, or surface of something

The number 22 car tried to pass the leader on the outside (of the track).

2

baseball : on the side of home plate farthest from the batter

The next pitch was a fastball on the outside.

3

—used to describe someone's appearance

I might seem calm on the outside, but I'm actually really nervous.

4

: not in prison

He looked forward to life on the outside again.

Examples of on the outside in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Workers in protective gear employ a variety of tools to create the final surface texture, here dimpled on the outside and cratered on the inside, parts of the brass polished to exalt its natural pinkish gold color. —Miles Socha, Footwear News, 24 June 2025

This isn't about what looks good on the outside, but what is right on the inside. —Danijela Pilic, Glamour, 24 June 2025

And that’s the margins on the outside of our roster. —Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 24 June 2025

After several races, the higher-ups at Red Bull decided to give Lawson a look, leaving Ricciardo on the outside looking in. —Nelson Espinal, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 June 2025

Rhymes for on the outside

• acetamide
• acetonide
• acidified
• antimonide
• beatified
• benzaldehyde
• borohydride
• chalcogenide
• commodified
• decalcified
• declassified
• disaccharide