EXTERNAL Synonyms: 43 Similar and Opposite Words

external

adjective

ek-ˈstər-nᵊl

Definition of external

as in extrinsic

not being a vital part of or belonging to something the defendant's socioeconomic status must be regarded as entirely external to his guilt or innocence

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in outer

situated on the outside or farther out the external chambers of the ancient tomb gave little indication of the magnificence of the innermost chamber

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of external For the majority of poor countries, remittances generally exceed overseas development assistance and foreign direct investment as a source of external financing. — Eghosa E. Osaghae, Foreign Affairs, 11 Aug. 2026 On top of that, research organizations and leaders were strongly against any kind of external regulation, Stark said, and resisted the establishment of IRBs in the first place. — Angus Chen, STAT, 11 Aug. 2026 To prevent a similar situation, the files are now stored on an external hard drive. — Allison Degrushe, StyleCaster, 11 Aug. 2026 OpenAI’s friction@ email address are in the same tradition, though aimed at internal issues rather than those experienced by its external customers. — Emily Forlini, Fortune, 11 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for external

Recent Examples of Synonyms for external

Adjective

Educational psychology provides a useful framework for understanding this phenomenon through the distinction between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation.

— Jason Benedict, Fortune, 7 July 2026
Extrinsic rewards, such as grades, do so because extrinsic desires tend to crowd out intrinsic ones.

— David Brooks, The Atlantic, 28 June 2026

Definition of extrinsic

Adjective

Observers can also catch a glimpse of the sun's outer atmosphere, known as the corona, glowing around the silhouetted moon.

— Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Safety breakthrough To stress-test the pack under extreme conditions, CATL intentionally forced two neighboring cells to fail at the same time in various critical spots, such as the dense center and outer corners.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of outer

Adjective

At that point, onboard autonomy takes over, making control link jamming largely irrelevant, Azhnyuk said.

— David Kirichenko, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2026
And further back than that—the child my mother still describes, devouring books one after another, genre irrelevant.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of irrelevant

Adjective

The upper floors and sculpture terraces are also connected by a series of exterior staircases, with great views of the downtown skyline, and a rare opportunity to experience art en plein aire.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Aug. 2026
The 2026 Jeep Cherokee's exterior redesign is the SUV's most noticeable attribute from afar.

— Charles Singh, USA Today, 8 Aug. 2026

Definition of exterior

Adjective

The British international banking group was among the first foreign banks to start operating out of GIFT City in 2020.

— Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 13 Aug. 2026
But intelligence officials previously told The Associated Press that Russia’s security services are now more brazen in their choice of targets, going after Russian activists and foreign supporters of Ukraine as well as military defectors.

— Claudia Ciobanu, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of foreign

Adjective

Driscoll and others involved in the mission worried that something far less dramatic could derail it, such as an accidental weapon discharge, an isolated confrontation with a protester or a guardsman caught on camera behaving poorly.

— Steven Beynon, ABC News, 11 Aug. 2026
In these spaces, the risk of accidental contact with poison ivy is much higher.

— Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Aug. 2026