English Reference
adjective

outrageous

adj.
US /aʊˈtɹeɪdʒəs/ UK /aʊtɹˈeɪdʒəs/ out·ra·geous

  1. 01 B2 Upper Intermediate

    very shocking and unacceptable because it is unfair or wrong.

    grossly offensive to decency or morality; provoking strong indignation.

    Simple

    The price of a single bottle of water at the airport was absolutely outrageous.

    In context

    The community was shocked by the outrageous treatment of the elderly residents, leading to a full-scale investigation into the facility's management.

  2. 02 B2 Upper Intermediate Informal

    very strange, bold, or unusual in a way that gets a lot of attention.

    exceeding the limits of what is usual or conventional; highly unconventional or provocative.

    Simple

    She wore an outrageous hat with bright pink feathers to the wedding.

    In context

    The comedian's outrageous sense of humour often pushed the boundaries of what the network considered appropriate for a prime-time audience.

  3. 03 C1 Advanced Formal

    going far beyond what is normal or reasonable.

    transgressing reasonable limits; immoderate or excessive in degree.

    Simple

    The company made outrageous demands during the contract negotiations.

    In context

    The CEO's outrageous salary was a point of contention during the annual shareholder meeting, especially given the company's recent losses.

  4. 04 C2 Proficiency Archaic

    very violent or full of anger.

    characterised by fury or physical violence.

    Simple

    The outrageous storm destroyed several small boats in the harbour.

    In context

    The knight was known for his outrageous temper, often striking out at his servants for the smallest of mistakes.

The UN secretary general, António Guterres, ecalled Ben-Gvir’s comments “appalling”, “outrageous”, “dehumanising” and “dangerous”.

The Guardian· 20 Aug 2026

Their hopes then lay with Brook, who played some outrageous shots of his own, including an upper-cut over the keeper to get off the mark and a lofted six over extra cover.

BBC News· 14 Aug 2026

From Anglo-Norman outrageus, Middle French outrageus, from outrage; equivalent to outrage + -ous.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated