outwards

C2+ Topic:Space, Position & Direction

US /ˈaʊtwɚdz/ UK /ˈaʊtwədz/ See IPA manual

adv

Meanings

1

adv
toward the outside; away from a center

The ripples spread outwards from where the stone had fallen.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adv · toward the outside; away... outward externally outside

Opposites

inwards inward inside

Word family

Related forms outward out

Etymology

From Old English ūteweard ('toward the outside'), from ūt ('out') plus the directional suffix -weard, with adverbial -s added in Middle English.

ūt Old English -weard Old English

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Topics

Space, Position & Direction

# outwards

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** adv
**IPA (US):** ˈaʊtwɚdz
**IPA (UK):** ˈaʊtwədz

## Meanings
1. toward the outside; away from a center

## Examples
- The ripples spread outwards from where the stone had fallen.

## Synonyms
- outward
- externally
- outside

## Antonyms
- inwards
- inward
- inside

## Related Forms
- outward
- out

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: ūt
- Root: -weard

## Etymology
From Old English ūteweard ('toward the outside'), from ūt ('out') plus the directional suffix -weard, with adverbial -s added in Middle English.

## AI Etymology
Outwards is from Old English ūteweard ('toward the outside'), from ūt ('out') plus the directional suffix -weard, with adverbial -s added in Middle English. Important recorded forms include ūt (Old English) and -weard (Old English). The modern sense follows that older lexical line closely. In current use it covers toward the outside; away from a center. The wider family includes related words such as outward and out.

## Topics
- Space, Position & Direction

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outwards

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