as in foreigners
a person who is not native to or known to a community
she seems to enjoy the odd distinction of being the only outsider in such a small community
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Recent Examples of outsiders
Both have giddy politicians collecting lots of tax from outsiders.
—
Brad Weisenstein, Chicago Tribune, 5 Feb. 2026
In Islamic societies, particularly during the Ottoman Empire, the word described separate living quarters for the female members of a household, which outsiders were prohibited from accessing.
—Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 4 Feb. 2026
To outsiders, her work can look like celebration, like more Austin events promising release.
—Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 4 Feb. 2026
Few outsiders know this territory better than the cookbook author Meredith Erickson, whose 2019 book Alpine Cooking, about the traditions and recipes of the mountainous regions of Italy, Switzerland, Austria, and France, was named one of the best cookbooks of that year by The New York Times.
—Laura May Todd, Vogue, 3 Feb. 2026
There was a lot more activity around a rather weak bubble, including San Diego State’s loss at Utah State, Ohio State’s loss at Wisconsin, and outsiders Texas and Cal each splitting their weeks.
—Brendan Marks, New York Times, 1 Feb. 2026
Over time, Brooks writes, outsiders tend to grow more resilient and emotionally strong—not in spite of the discomfort, but because of it.
—Rafaela Jinich, The Atlantic, 31 Jan. 2026
The rationale is that these measures prevent unauthorized outsiders from threatening the patient or law enforcement personnel, given that hospitals lack the security infrastructure of a prison or detention center.
—Claudia Boyd-Barrett, Los Angeles Times, 30 Jan. 2026
The show, clearly meant to be an appealing first exposure for K-pop outsiders, selects Top 40 hits from across the decades and pairs the original artists up with Korean idols, who transform them in ways meant to resemble the K-pop formula.
—Sheldon Pearce, NPR, 29 Jan. 2026
Brad Weisenstein, Chicago Tribune, 5 Feb. 2026
In Islamic societies, particularly during the Ottoman Empire, the word described separate living quarters for the female members of a household, which outsiders were prohibited from accessing.
—Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 4 Feb. 2026
To outsiders, her work can look like celebration, like more Austin events promising release.
—Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 4 Feb. 2026
Few outsiders know this territory better than the cookbook author Meredith Erickson, whose 2019 book Alpine Cooking, about the traditions and recipes of the mountainous regions of Italy, Switzerland, Austria, and France, was named one of the best cookbooks of that year by The New York Times.
—Laura May Todd, Vogue, 3 Feb. 2026
There was a lot more activity around a rather weak bubble, including San Diego State’s loss at Utah State, Ohio State’s loss at Wisconsin, and outsiders Texas and Cal each splitting their weeks.
—Brendan Marks, New York Times, 1 Feb. 2026
Over time, Brooks writes, outsiders tend to grow more resilient and emotionally strong—not in spite of the discomfort, but because of it.
—Rafaela Jinich, The Atlantic, 31 Jan. 2026
The rationale is that these measures prevent unauthorized outsiders from threatening the patient or law enforcement personnel, given that hospitals lack the security infrastructure of a prison or detention center.
—Claudia Boyd-Barrett, Los Angeles Times, 30 Jan. 2026
The show, clearly meant to be an appealing first exposure for K-pop outsiders, selects Top 40 hits from across the decades and pairs the original artists up with Korean idols, who transform them in ways meant to resemble the K-pop formula.
—Sheldon Pearce, NPR, 29 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for outsiders
Noun
-
If the fear is that foreigners are coming here to take our jobs and ruin beloved American traditions, there are plenty of nonnative artists to grouse about.—
Lorraine Ali,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Few foreigners want to spend their vacation in a place where there no lights at night, and air conditioning comes and goes.—
Andres Oppenheimer,
Miami Herald,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
With as many as 3,000 federal officers roaming the state this year, some immigrant parents have made a bet that their children are safer riding or walking with white Minnesotans who were strangers just weeks ago — rather than in their own cars or while holding their hands.—
Bianca Vázquez Toness,
Fortune,
6 Feb. 2026
-
White settlers and corporations quickly swooped in to tap into the vast natural riches of these new territories, relegating the original inhabitants to being strangers in their own land.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Outsiders.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outsiders. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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