outright

adverb

out·right | \ ˌau̇t-ˈrīt

Definition of outright

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : in entirety : completely rejected the proposal outright outright refuses to cooperate with law enforcement— Tim Murphy

2 : on the spot : instantaneously was killed outright

3 : without lien (see lien sense 1) or encumbrance (see encumbrance sense 2) purchased the property outright for cash

4 : without restraint or reservation laughed outright cried outright

5 archaic : straight ahead : directly

outright

adjective

out·right | \ ˈau̇t-ˌrīt

Definition of outright (Entry 2 of 2)

1a : being completely or exactly what is stated an outright lie

b : given without reservation outright grants for research

c : made without encumbrance or lien an outright sale

2 archaic : proceeding directly onward

Other Words from outright Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More About outright

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Examples of outright in a Sentence

Adverb She won the competition outright. The painting is now owned outright by the museum. Their house was destroyed outright by the fire. I bought the car outright. Adjective I was surprised by their outright rejection of the idea.

Recent Examples on the Web: Adverb Ratings firms in recent months have either cut the credit outlooks of oil-and-gas companies or outright downgraded them, citing risks associated with the transition to green power and other factors. — Mark Maurer, WSJ, 14 June 2021 Be so good that observers will be confused and even disagree outright with your boss’ treatment of you. — Caroline Ceniza-levine, Forbes, 12 June 2021 But several states, including Florida and Texas, ban such passes outright. — Lenora Chu, The Christian Science Monitor, 11 June 2021 On paper, the Americans seemed to outright dominate the game — taking 26 shots, forcing nine saves, and possessing for 65% of the game. — Julia Poe, orlandosentinel.com, 11 June 2021 As the first major contest since President Joe Biden's inauguration, November's election will test whether Virginia's blue wave was a rejection of Republicans outright or more closely tied to Trump. — Quinn Scanlan, ABC News, 9 June 2021 Lawsuits, of course, are all about disagreements, and Tyler Pride disagrees sharply, saying his father bought two houses for him and his wife, Charity, and purchased both outright. — Michael Granberry, Dallas News, 9 June 2021 Don't leave money to your kids outright — protect it in a trust. — Washington Post, 8 June 2021 State legislative leaders, while not outright embracing it, have implicitly defended the proposal as recently as Monday. — BostonGlobe.com, 7 June 2021 Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective Councilor Emily Norton said a vast majority of Newton residents who have contacted her would support an outright ban on gun stores. — BostonGlobe.com, 16 June 2021 Following Floyd's death last year, Democratic Gov. Tony Evers proposed an outright ban on chokeholds in all instances. — Scott Bauer, Star Tribune, 9 June 2021 Experts say that striking the right balance between an outright ban and a free-for-all could actually promote India as a cryptocurrency hub. — Biman Mukherji, Fortune, 2 June 2021 In Lai’s opinion, an outright ban on all new service connections for an extended time would be short-sighted. — Emma Talley, San Francisco Chronicle, 24 May 2021 Bitcoin has long made Beijing uncomfortable, and Chinese banks aren’t permitted to handle it, though the central government has stopped short of an outright ban on bitcoin mining. — Caitlin Ostroff, WSJ, 21 May 2021 Several called for them to be kept out of neighborhoods with single-family homes, and some advocated for an outright ban. — Everton Bailey Jr., Dallas News, 5 May 2021 Whittingham led Utah to a share of the South Division title in 2015 and the outright division title in 2018 and 2019. — Jeff Potrykus, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 3 May 2021 That could easily mean that government embrace of cryptocurrency could be as bad an an outright ban. — Simon Constable, Forbes, 26 Apr. 2021

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