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 Governments are responding to the external shock with subsidies and other fiscal remedies. Juan Pablo Spinetto, Mercury News, 23 Apr. 2026 Vertebrates ditched their body armor and scales for smooth skin; cephalopods lost their external shell. Kate Wong, Scientific American, 23 Apr. 2026 Techniques such as geo-location of pictures or forensic processes to identify fake videos are incorporated in newsrooms or offered as a service by external organizations. Florian Wintterlin, Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Apr. 2026 These systems are designed to provide electricity for several years between refueling and do not require specialized infrastructure or a connection to external utility grids to operate. Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 23 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for external
Recent Examples of Synonyms for external
Adjective
  • Anyone that wanted to reserve time in the July 19 final was beholden to a full-tourney pledge of as much as $30 million, although your mileage will vary based on any number of extrinsic variables.
    Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 17 Apr. 2026
  • That authorization was broad and encompassed Gastineau’s name and likeness as reflected in extrinsic footage, such as that of the encounter with Favre.
    Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 17 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • If those platforms' outer defenses are no longer reliable, what exactly is standing between your data and someone who wants it?
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 25 Apr. 2026
  • This X-ray glow is radiated when the heavy ions of the solar wind, like carbon and oxygen, grab an electron from neutral atoms in either our outer atmosphere or the heliosphere.
    Robert Lea, Space.com, 24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • An irrelevant incident in isolation.
    Michael Cox, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
  • That made Legacy a business success well before its actual launch and ensured that any subsequent long-term player interest would be at least somewhat financially irrelevant to the companies involved.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • This pair from Reebok reminds me of Oprah’s with its tan- and white- exterior and lace-up design.
    Izzy Baskette, PEOPLE, 27 Apr. 2026
  • Taking shelter means moving away from windows and exterior walls and into an interior room.
    Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • At one point, my friend was added to a WeChat group that included nearly five hundred foreign actors, many of whom were sharing casting calls to make sure they weren’t being scammed.
    Chang Che, New Yorker, 25 Apr. 2026
  • Policymakers, especially here in Tokyo, would be wise to accept more foreign workers to plug labor gaps, but that’s not a durable answer on its own.
    Catherine Thorbecke, Twin Cities, 25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Some courts, for example, have considered extraneous factors that should only matter in understanding whether a worker is an employee or independent contractor — an entirely separate issue.
    Keith Sonderling, Fortune, 28 Apr. 2026
  • That might sound like the company is setting up buyers for extraneous extras at a huge double-price tag, but the entire system is actually quite reasonable at US$5,139 for the Altus cabin with pickup bed rack and $6,049 for the Altus with truck cap.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 22 Apr. 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
  • An infant’s accidental exposure to an infected child can mean serious illness, brain swelling and sometimes death.
    Orlando Sentinel, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 Apr. 2026
  • An infant’s accidental exposure to an infected child can mean serious illness, brain swelling and sometimes death.
    Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 28 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“External.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/external. Accessed 1 May. 2026.

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