outdoors

adverb

out·doors | \ˌau̇t-ˈdȯrz,

ˈau̇t-ˈdȯrz\

Definition of outdoors

(Entry 1 of 2)

: outside a building : in or into the open air

outdoors

noun, plural in form but singular in construction

Definition of outdoors (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : a place or location away from the confines of a building

2 : the world away from human habitations

Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Learn More about outdoors

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Synonyms & Antonyms for outdoors

Synonyms: Adverb

alfresco, out, outside

Synonyms: Noun, plural in form but singular in construction

nature, open, open air, out-of-doors, wild, wilderness

Antonyms: Adverb

Examples of outdoors in a Sentence

Adverb

The game is meant to be played outdoors. He worked outdoors all afternoon. I went outdoors for some fresh air.

Recent Examples on the Web: Adverb

This is partly because using a lab is more practical than taking study participants outdoors, but also so participants will not know if they are grounded or not - to avoid a placebo effect. — Carrie Dennett, chicagotribune.com, "Could walking barefoot on grass improve your health? Some science suggests it can.," 11 July 2018 The Shakespeare Academy at Stratford is a summer program that brings young theater students from around the world to perform Shakespeare outdoors on the grounds of the old American Shakespeare Festival theater. — Christopher Arnott, courant.com, "Outdoor Shakespeare This Summer: 'Pericles,' 'Love's Labour's Lost,' 'Hamlet' And...," 9 July 2018 The National Council on Firework Safety urges people to use fireworks outdoors in a clear area; away from buildings and vehicles. — Melissa Neeley, Cincinnati.com, "Fireworks may be to blame for sparking garage fire," 8 July 2018 This will come as no surprise to anyone who has been outdoors, but Louisville's heat index is tops in the entire country right now. — Lucas Aulbach, The Courier-Journal, "Louisville's heat index is the highest in the country right now," 5 July 2018 Roughly 100 or more stop by to hear the lunchtime concerts held outdoors, weather permitting, in the courtyard where seating and a few tables are provided. — Sheryl Devore, Lake County News-Sun, "Hawaiian to Latin jazz will be heard at Waukegan library’s weekly summer concert series," 3 July 2018 Houston residents should take frequent breaks if working outdoors, wear lightweight and loose-fitting clothing and drink a lot of water. — Samantha Ketterer, Houston Chronicle, "Expect nearly record-high temperatures in Houston on Wednesday, Thursday," 15 May 2018 The warm-up will be welcomed by people who make their living working outdoors, like Candace Cooper, one of the Campus Martius ice rink employees. — Lori Higgins, Detroit Free Press, "Baby, it's going to be (sorta) warm this week," 6 Jan. 2018 Car salesman seemed a second career; Andrew imagined him once working outdoors. — David Gilbert, The New Yorker, "Fungus," 4 June 2017

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun, plural in form but singular in construction

Ticks Hitting the great outdoors is one of the best parts of summer, but long hikes come with their own set of hazards. — Lindsay Kimble, PEOPLE.com, "Summer Has Arrived — Here's How to Avoid Flesh-Eating Bacteria & More Warm Weather Health Hazards," 5 June 2018 Christopher Reynolds Born and raised in California, Christopher Reynolds has written about travel, the outdoors, arts and culture for the Los Angeles Times since 1990. — Christopher Reynolds, latimes.com, "Rockers, punks and cowboys find a rowdy haven at Cain's in Tulsa, Okla.," 14 June 2018 Preston 10, is a lover of the great outdoors — fishing, exploring and collecting Pokémon are his favorites. — Sarah Schreiber, Good Housekeeping, "5 Siblings in Viral Wanted Ad Beg the World: "Adopt Us Together!"," 14 Mar. 2017 The brothers originally considered turning one large corner of the space into a rooftop terrace for outdoor dining, but eventually chose to bring the outdoors indoors during the season. — Bruce Ingram, Naperville Sun, "Guide to outdoor dining in Chicago suburbs: Santo Cielo in Naperville," 7 July 2018 Whether those findings apply to sitting at a desk outdoors might merit further study. — Rick Romell, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "L.L. Bean will bring freedom for the desk-bound to Madison with outdoor workspace," 6 July 2018 Get cozy around the campfire with this outdoors-chic, alpaca-synthetic-blend blanket that’s durable and machine-washable. — Sara Kennedy, The Seattle Times, "7 fun additions for your camping kit," 2 July 2018 For the communities located at the entrance to national parks—like Estes Park, Colorado, or Whitefish, Montana—the 2017 report confirms what any local will tell you: Playing outdoors is big business. — Megan Barber, Curbed, "National parks generated $35 billion in 2017," 7 May 2018 To Evon Peter, a Neetsaii Gwich’in and Koyukon from Arctic Village and vice chancellor at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, the outdoors is home. — Krista Langlois, Outside Online, "Sacred Native American Sites Are Not Your Playgrounds," 5 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'outdoors.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Statistics for outdoors

Last Updated

17 Oct 2018

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for outdoors

The first known use of outdoors was circa 1729

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More Definitions for outdoors

outdoors

adverb

English Language Learners Definition of outdoors

: outside a building : not inside a building

See the full definition for outdoors in the English Language Learners Dictionary

outdoors

adverb

out·doors | \au̇t-ˈdȯrz

\

Kids Definition of outdoors

(Entry 1 of 2)

: outside a building : in or into the open air She likes to play outdoors.

outdoors

noun

Kids Definition of outdoors (Entry 2 of 2)

: the open air

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lying above or upon

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