out·right
ˌau̇t-ˈrīt 
1
: in entirety : completely
rejected the proposal outright
outright refuses to cooperate with law enforcement—
Tim Murphy
Tim Murphy2
: 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
out·right
ˈau̇t-ˌrīt
1
a
: 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
outrightly
adverb
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
John Mariani, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
But Food and Drug Administration senior adviser Tracy Beth Høeg did not outright deny any of the claims and said only that the agency takes public safety seriously.
—Nathaniel Weixel, The Hill, 19 Sep. 2025
Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
The aides cautioned that the platforms aren't outright against the bill and have been engaging with congressional staff on it.
—Gabrielle Fonrouge,paige Tortorelli, CNBC, 19 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for outright
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.
Adverb
After graduating from Karlstad Business School in Sweden in 2012, the 25-year-old Federico took over the family’s wineries, eventually buying them outright and investing heavily to produce wines now poised to garner the respect the region’s wines have yet to achieve.
—John Mariani, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
But Food and Drug Administration senior adviser Tracy Beth Høeg did not outright deny any of the claims and said only that the agency takes public safety seriously.
—Nathaniel Weixel, The Hill, 19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
There is little doubt that this is a rapidly developing field and that there are tremendous upsides to be had, but at the same time, regrettably, hidden risks and outright gotchas come into these endeavors too.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
The aides cautioned that the platforms aren't outright against the bill and have been engaging with congressional staff on it.
—Gabrielle Fonrouge,paige Tortorelli, CNBC, 19 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for outright
Cite this Entry
“Outright.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/outright. Accessed 26 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
outright
1 of 2 adverb
out·right
(ˈ)au̇t-ˈrīt
1
a
: in entirety : completely
sold outright
b
: without holding back
laughed outright
2
: on the spot : instantaneously
killed outright
outright
2 of 2 adjective
out·right
ˈau̇t-ˌrīt
1
: being exactly what is stated
an outright lie
2
: given without restriction
an outright gift
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share