outer space

noun

: space immediately outside the earth's atmosphere
broadly : interplanetary or interstellar space

Examples of outer space in a Sentence

a satellite in outer space Is there life in outer space?
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.
Whether a second season shifts into the heavens to rocket off on an outer space trajectory for a follow-up season is yet to be seen. — Jeff Spry, Space.com, 17 Oct. 2026 That same year, a Chinese government white paper identified outer space as a critical national security domain. — Kathleen Curlee, Foreign Affairs, 14 Oct. 2026 That night, it would be signed by the oceanographer, former Navy captain, and retired astronaut Kathryn Sullivan—the first person to both walk in outer space and visit the deepest point of the ocean, in the Mariana Trench. — Sarah Larson, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026 And blue-ice areas contain unusually high concentrations of meteorites, as rocks from outer space either land on the surface or emerge from within the ice after being transported by glacial movement. — Daniella McCahey, The Conversation, 12 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for outer space

Word History

First Known Use

1842, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of outer space was in 1842

Rhymes for outer space

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Browse Nearby Words

outersole
outer space
outer table
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Cite this Entry

“Outer space.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/outer%20space. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

outer space

noun
: space entry 1 sense 4
especially : the region beyond the solar system
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