out-group
noun
: a group that is distinct from one's own and so usually an object of hostility or dislike compare in-group sense 1
Examples of out-group in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Jokes create in-groups and out-groups of those who are laughing and those who are not.
—
Lisa Hagen, NPR, 15 Mar. 2025
Psychologists call these categories in-groups and out-groups.
—Julia Standefer, The Conversation, 14 Mar. 2025
This can create in-group and out-group dynamics, leading to siloed thinking.
—Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2025
Some visions of moral progress look forward to a world in which the in-group/out-group distinction has vanished.
—Nikhil Krishnan, The New Yorker, 23 Dec. 2024
Just like cults, marketers exploit vulnerabilities, create in-groups and out-groups and play on emotions to drive behavior.
—Dr. Mara Einstein, Deadline, 29 Nov. 2024
Paradoxically, then, one of the most pro-social (and universally celebrated moral) emotions, represents a clear threat to diversity and inclusion: a group, system, organization, or indeed society that is optimized for empathy will tend to prioritize the in-group over the out-group.
—Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Forbes, 23 Oct. 2024
Reactionary populists in Brasília, London, Moscow, New Delhi, Stockholm, and Washington will not behave in the same way or adopt the same criteria for drawing boundaries between in- and out-groups.
—Justin Casey, Foreign Affairs, 19 Jan. 2023
When revised data support the in-group’s political policies, members of the out-group sometime allege that the numbers were cooked for partisan advantage.
—Bill Conerly, Forbes, 11 Sep. 2024
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.
Lisa Hagen, NPR, 15 Mar. 2025
Psychologists call these categories in-groups and out-groups.
—Julia Standefer, The Conversation, 14 Mar. 2025
This can create in-group and out-group dynamics, leading to siloed thinking.
—Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2025
Some visions of moral progress look forward to a world in which the in-group/out-group distinction has vanished.
—Nikhil Krishnan, The New Yorker, 23 Dec. 2024
Just like cults, marketers exploit vulnerabilities, create in-groups and out-groups and play on emotions to drive behavior.
—Dr. Mara Einstein, Deadline, 29 Nov. 2024
Paradoxically, then, one of the most pro-social (and universally celebrated moral) emotions, represents a clear threat to diversity and inclusion: a group, system, organization, or indeed society that is optimized for empathy will tend to prioritize the in-group over the out-group.
—Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Forbes, 23 Oct. 2024
Reactionary populists in Brasília, London, Moscow, New Delhi, Stockholm, and Washington will not behave in the same way or adopt the same criteria for drawing boundaries between in- and out-groups.
—Justin Casey, Foreign Affairs, 19 Jan. 2023
When revised data support the in-group’s political policies, members of the out-group sometime allege that the numbers were cooked for partisan advantage.
—Bill Conerly, Forbes, 11 Sep. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Out-group.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/out-group. Accessed 21 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share