INWARDLY Synonyms: 27 Similar and Opposite Words

inwardly

adverb

Definition of inwardly

as in secretly

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Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of inwardly Charleigh inwardly winced and froze in place, hand still on the knob. — Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 20 Jan. 2026 Regina turns her disdain outwardly, planning her escape, while Birde directs hers inwardly, seeing no way out. — Oline Cogdill, Sun Sentinel, 13 Jan. 2026 And so that was something that actually gave me a lot of inspiration for finding layers and inwardly. — Senior Editor, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Nov. 2025 Engage your lower abs, draw your kneecaps toward your thighs, and inwardly rotate your thighs. — Kate Pitts, Outside, 30 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for inwardly

Recent Examples of Synonyms for inwardly

Adverb

Moscow has also been secretly helping Iran develop advanced supersonic cruise missiles, the Financial Times reported.

— Peter Weber, TheWeek, 2 Sep. 2026
In 2008, a stalker had been following Andrews and secretly filming her through hotel room peepholes.

— Kathleen Perricone, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of secretly

Adverb

Caesar performed with an earnestness that served as the foundation for an intimately personal relationship with fans — one that indeed transcended words.

— Sydney Gaw, Oc Register, 26 Aug. 2026
Reaching that valuation took more than a decade of experimentation—and, eventually, a realization that the company needed to double down on a problem its founders knew intimately.

— Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 23 Aug. 2026

Definition of intimately

Adverb

The individual feedback goes to the person first, privately, the way a coach talks to an athlete between plays.

— Vivek Thomas, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2026
People close to Newsom privately speculated that the culprit might be a foreign power looking to undermine the California governor’s seemingly inevitable 2028 presidential campaign.

— Max Tani, semafor.com, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of privately

Adverb

This isn’t a grabby, attention seeker of a film, but a quiet, watchful sort of movie that whispers its secrets sotto voce.

— Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 13 May 2026
The first and rarest category involved sotto voce confessions of personal tree-felling or maiming episodes.

— Rosa Lyster, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025

Definition of sotto voce

Browse Nearby Words

inward

inwardly

inwards

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“Inwardly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inwardly. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of inwardly

adverb

Example Sentences

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