Definition of externalnext
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as in outer
situated on the outside or farther out the external chambers of the ancient tomb gave little indication of the magnificence of the innermost chamber

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 external These have also undergone safety validation through abuse tests, which include nail penetration, overcharge, and external short-circuit testing. Aditya Jadhav, Interesting Engineering, 4 Aug. 2026 This year is about creating solid foundations in your life, both external and internal. Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 4 Aug. 2026 Its textured facade will support soil, water, plants, and wildlife, extending the existing riverside park vertically, while multiple windows and external staircases are integrated into the rock-like forms. New Atlas, 1 Aug. 2026 Pre-emption rights are legal or contractual provisions that allow existing shareholders to purchase shares before they are offered to external parties. Leon Imber, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for external
Recent Examples of Synonyms for external
Adjective
  • Educational psychology provides a useful framework for understanding this phenomenon through the distinction between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation.
    Jason Benedict, Fortune, 7 July 2026
  • Extrinsic rewards, such as grades, do so because extrinsic desires tend to crowd out intrinsic ones.
    David Brooks, The Atlantic, 28 June 2026
Adjective
  • Sinot used a palette of pure white, vibrant magenta, and dandelion yellow, with the white color concentrated in the inner corners and dotted with teeny pink spots that faded into bright pink at the outer corners.
    Kara Nesvig, Allure, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Trump was not yet thirty, and an ambitious outer-borough real-estate developer.
    Kai Bird, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • The migrants were never going to be able to reach the mainland EU, but that fact was irrelevant to hard-right, anti-migrant politicians around the world who portrayed the incident in apocalyptic terms.
    Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 3 Aug. 2026
  • There’s a big difference between irrelevant and less relevant.
    Shep Hyken, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • Hundreds of bottles of hot sauce and meat rubs line the exterior walls.
    Adam Van Brimmer, AJC.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • To remove a bat, stay calm, close interior doors, and open windows or exterior doors to guide it outside.
    Olivia McIntosh, Martha Stewart, 1 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • Over the past few years, South Korea has made regulatory changes to court foreign investors and boost its domestic stock market.
    Stephanie Yang, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Fuel supply meets reactor demand The deal comes as the US works to rebuild domestic uranium enrichment capacity and reduce dependence on foreign fuel supplies.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 6 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • Level Two prompts teams to identify missing critical information or extraneous details.
    Esther K. Choy, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026
  • Had Ponce been found guilty of one murder at trial, with evidence of the other presented in the punishment phase as an extraneous event, a jury or judge would have considered a prison punishment range of five to 99 years, or life.
    Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 July 2026
Adjective
  • Although individual plants have a lifespan of 30-90 years, adventitious shoots grow up from roots.
    Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 5 July 2025
  • The patchy and adventitious quality of Jameson’s reconstruction must make clear his difference as a thinker.
    Mark Greif, Harper's Magazine, 26 July 2024
Adjective
  • Researchers think that most bites are accidental; great white sharks mistake people for seals or sea lions.
    Paul Rogers, Mercury News, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Lioness actress Laysla De Oliveira has become somewhat of an accidental action star.
    Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 3 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“External.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/external. Accessed 7 Aug. 2026.

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