ENGLISH
REFERENCE

inward

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈɪnwɝd// UK //ˈɪnwəd// in·ward Archaic

adj. directed toward the inside or center of something. It can also describe your private thoughts and feelings that you do not show to other people.

adj. directed toward the interior or center of a space; relating to the internal mind or spirit rather than the external world.


SIMPLE

She took a deep inward breath to calm her nerves.

CONTEXTUAL

The heavy doors open inward, so you need to pull the handle toward you to enter the building.

COMPLEX

The poet's later work reflects an inward journey, focusing more on the quiet evolution of the soul than on the political upheavals of the era.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Origin

From Middle English inward, from Old English inweard, corresponding to in + -ward.

Usage

Typically used attributively before a noun; when describing direction, it is often contrasted with 'outward'.

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