outsider

noun

out·​sid·​er ˌau̇t-ˈsī-dər How to pronounce outsider (audio)
ˈau̇t-ˌsī-
Synonyms of outsidernext
1
: a person who does not belong to a particular group
2
chiefly British : a contender not expected to win
outsiderness noun

Synonyms of outsider

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Examples of outsider in a Sentence

To outsiders, the ritual may seem strange. She felt like an outsider in her new school. An outsider defeated the champion! She was a rank outsider who managed to win.
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.
Students describe Oberlin as a kind of oasis, a place where high-school misfits can find a community of outsiders. — Jesse Dougherty, New Yorker, 5 Sep. 2026 Joe Kloc’s portrait of a group of outsiders living on boats in Marin County provides a record of a community many wish would quietly disappear. — The New York Review of Books, 5 Sep. 2026 The government’s achievement caps a political transformation that has moved the Italian leader from outsider to establishment figure since becoming Italy’s first female prime minister in 2022. — Silvia Stellacci, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026 Money is tight, the wheat harvest yields less money, and Sayed is being pestered by an outsider to sell his fields. — Jay Weissberg, Variety, 4 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for outsider

Word History

First Known Use

1800, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of outsider was in 1800

Rhymes for outsider

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Browse Nearby Words

outside quire
outsider
outsider art
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Cite this Entry

“Outsider.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/outsider. Accessed 7 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

outsider

noun
out·​sid·​er (ˈ)au̇t-ˈsīd-ər How to pronounce outsider (audio)
: a person who does not belong to a particular group
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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