inward
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.relating to your private thoughts and feelings rather than what you show to other people.
adj.relating to the mind, spirit, or internal thoughts as opposed to external physical reality.
Simple“She struggled with an inward fear that she was not good enough for the job.”
In context“The protagonist's inward journey is more compelling than the external plot, as he grapples with his conscience throughout the novel.”
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.directed or moving toward the inside of something.
adj.directed or moving toward the interior or center of a space or object.
Simple“The inward curve of the wall made the room feel smaller than it was.”
In context“The architect designed the building with an inward slope to maximize the amount of light reaching the central courtyard.”
- 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
adv.toward the inside or toward your own mind.
adv.toward the inside or center; often used figuratively to describe focusing on one's own thoughts.
Simple“The heavy gates opened inward to let the cars enter the driveway.”
In context“He turned his attention inward, trying to find the source of the anxiety that had been bothering him all morning.”
UsageIn British English, 'inwards' is often preferred as the adverb, while 'inward' is more common in American English.
- 04 C1 Advanced
adj.describes a ship or person traveling toward a home port or a specific country.
adj.directed toward the land or a home port; specifically used for vessels or cargo entering a jurisdiction.
Simple“The inward flight was delayed by several hours due to the storm.”
In context“Customs officials are responsible for inspecting all inward cargo to ensure compliance with national import regulations.”
From Middle English inward, from Old English inweard, corresponding to in + -ward.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.