outdoors
3 synonyms and 0 antonyms for outdoors, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Adv — Not inside a building; in the open air.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
How to use outdoors
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Etymology
From "out" plus "doors," likely a shortened form of the older phrase "out of doors."
Full origin of outdoors →Frequently asked questions
What does “outdoors” mean?
The word “outdoors” means not inside a building; in the open air. In plain terms, outside, in the open air — or nature itself as a place to be.
How do you pronounce “outdoors”?
“Outdoors” is pronounced owt-DAWZ (/aʊtˈdɔː(ɹ)z/ in IPA).
How do you use “outdoors” in a sentence?
Here is “outdoors” used in a sentence: “They decided to eat outdoors since the weather was so nice.”
What part of speech is “outdoors”?
Depending on how it is used, “outdoors” can be an adverb and a noun.
Is “outdoors” a common word?
“Outdoors” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “outdoors” have?
“Outdoors” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: not inside a building; in the open air.
What is the difference between outdoors and outside?
Outdoors and outside both describe being away from the interior of a building, but outdoors carries a stronger connotation of open, natural spaces, while outside is more neutral and can simply mean not inside a particular structure. "The outdoors" as a noun specifically refers to nature and open spaces away from buildings and cities.
Is outdoors a noun or an adverb?
Outdoors can be both: as an adverb it means not inside a building, in the open air, as in "the children played outdoors." As a noun, usually preceded by "the," it refers to nature and open spaces away from buildings and cities, as in "a love of the outdoors."
Why is outdoors often used with the word the?
Outdoors is often paired with "the" when used as a noun referring to nature and open spaces collectively, as in "exploring the outdoors." Without "the," it typically functions as an adverb describing location, as in "we ate outdoors."