outwardly

adverb

out·​ward·​ly ˈau̇t-wərd-lē How to pronounce outwardly (audio)
1
a
: on the outside : externally
b
: toward the outside
2
: in outward state, behavior, or appearance
was outwardly friendly

Examples of outwardly in a Sentence

The two brothers may be outwardly similar, but their personalities couldn't be more different. Though extremely nervous, she was able to remain outwardly calm during the interview. Outwardly, their marriage seemed quite normal.
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.
The district, meanwhile, has been outwardly supportive of a four-day week, with school board members citing teacher retention and student test score data as indicators of its early success. Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 31 Oct. 2025 The post didn’t specify what exactly has been added to the restaurant's authentic Thai menu, but the building renovations are outwardly apparent. Angelika Ytuarte, jsonline.com, 30 Oct. 2025 Those differences mostly have to do with upbringing, and the two have always seemed outwardly supportive and affectionate with each other, but that hasn’t changed some people’s minds about the matter. Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 29 Oct. 2025 Two city commissioners were more outwardly supportive of the measure. Miami Herald, 28 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for outwardly

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of outwardly was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Outwardly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/outwardly. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.

Kids Definition

outwardly

adverb
out·​ward·​ly ˈau̇t-wərd-lē How to pronounce outwardly (audio)
: on the outside : in outward appearance
outwardly calm

More from Merriam-Webster on outwardly

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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