on the outside

phrase

1
: on the outer side, edge, or surface of something
The number 22 car tried to pass the leader on the outside (of the track).
2
baseball : on the side of home plate farthest from the batter
The next pitch was a fastball on the outside.
3
used to describe someone's appearance
I might seem calm on the outside, but I'm actually really nervous.
4
: not in prison
He looked forward to life on the outside again.

Examples of on the outside in a Sentence

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 entire plug was on the outside of the pike’s mouth—he couldn’t be hooked too solidly. Jack G. Mell, Outdoor Life, 2 July 2026 And the institutions that spent decades telling young workers to find a mentor, work the room, and climb the ladder are increasingly on the outside of a network they were never invited into. Jasmine Browley, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026 The data center is expected to cost about $107 million to build and will be hosted within an existing building, which will be renovated on the inside but left relatively intact on the outside. Ilana Arougheti july 1, Kansas City Star, 1 July 2026 External SSDs might look plain on the outside, but this Western Digital 1TB portable drive is shockingly fast under its drop-resistant chassis. Kelsey Fogarty, PC Magazine, 1 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for on the outside

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Cite this Entry

“On the outside.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/on%20the%20outside. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.

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