outsider

noun

out·​sid·​er ˌau̇t-ˈsī-dər How to pronounce outsider (audio)
ˈau̇t-ˌsī-
Synonyms of outsidernext
1
: a person who does not belong to a particular group
2
chiefly British : a contender not expected to win
outsiderness noun

Examples of outsider in a Sentence

To outsiders, the ritual may seem strange. She felt like an outsider in her new school. An outsider defeated the champion! She was a rank outsider who managed to win.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
As the epidemic spreads, Jeremy (Jeremy Pope), a desperate outsider, is caught in the chaos, searching for purpose as the agents race across Paris, Venice, Rome and New York to stop a threat that could alter the future of humanity. Denise Petski, Deadline, 5 Jan. 2026 Trump had won by fifty-three points there in 2016, and Greene’s paranoid pugnacity seemed like a good fit, if voters could stomach an outsider. Charles Bethea, New Yorker, 5 Jan. 2026 The recording studios continued to be made available to outsiders during the quarter-century Henson had the place, while the soundstage was mostly utilized for Henson’s own kids’ shows, with exceptions. Chris Willman, Variety, 5 Jan. 2026 Voters in conversations across California consistently expressed pragmatic priorities focused on tangible governance challenges—traffic, housing affordability, homelessness, fire prevention, and crime—rather than entertainment value or the aura of political outsiders. Los Angeles Times, 4 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for outsider

Word History

First Known Use

1800, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of outsider was in 1800

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Outsider.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/outsider. Accessed 6 Jan. 2026.

Kids Definition

outsider

noun
out·​sid·​er (ˈ)au̇t-ˈsīd-ər How to pronounce outsider (audio)
: a person who does not belong to a particular group

More from Merriam-Webster on outsider

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!