inside
IHN-syd
Inside (noun) means the interior or inner part of something. Example: “The inside of the house had been freshly painted.”
noun
1
The interior or inner part of something.
"The inside of the house had been freshly painted."
"They tore up the inside of the old sofa looking for the lost keys."
"The inside of the box was lined with soft blue cloth."
2
Informal knowledge that only certain people have access to.
"She got the inside on the merger before it hit the news."
"My cousin works at the club, so he has the inside on upcoming concerts."
"Reporters paid well for the inside on the team's plans."
adjective
1
Coming from someone within an organization; internal.
"Police suspect it was an inside job."
"The company suspected that an inside source had shared the secret plans."
"She had inside information about the changes before anyone else."
adverb
1
Within or toward the interior of a place; indoors.
"It started raining, so we went inside."
"Please come inside and take your shoes off at the door."
"The cat stayed inside all day because of the snow."
preposition
1
Within the interior of something, or within a stated period of time.
"The report has to be finished inside a week."
"There is a lovely garden inside the old castle walls."
"Your parcel should arrive inside three working days."
How to use inside
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe interior part of something, or moving/being within it, physically or informally (as in "inside knowledge").
Common pairings
inside job
inside information
come inside
inside a week
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Word forms
- Plural
- insides
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The _____ of the house had been freshly painted.
Etymology
From Middle English ynneside, formed from in + side.
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for inside
See all rhymes for inside →Frequently asked questions
What does “inside” mean?
The word “inside” means the interior or inner part of something. In plain terms, the interior part of something, or moving/being within it, physically or informally (as in "inside knowledge").
How do you pronounce “inside”?
“Inside” is pronounced IHN-syd (/ˈɪnsaɪd/ in IPA).
How do you use “inside” in a sentence?
Here is “inside” used in a sentence: “The inside of the house had been freshly painted.”
What is the opposite of “inside”?
The opposite of “inside” — its antonyms — is outside.
What part of speech is “inside”?
Depending on how it is used, “inside” can be a noun, an adjective, an adverb and a preposition.
Where does the word “inside” come from?
The word “inside” comes from Middle English. From Middle English ynneside, formed from in + side.
Is “inside” a common word?
“Inside” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “inside” have?
“Inside” has 5 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the interior or inner part of something.
What is the opposite of inside?
The opposite is "outside" or "exterior." As a noun, the inside is the inner part of something, while the outside is its outer surface or surroundings. The inside of a house is its rooms; the outside is its walls and garden. The pair marks interior against exterior.
What is the difference between inside and interior?
They point to the same thing — the inner part of something — but differ in tone. "Inside" is the everyday word, used in ordinary speech. "Interior" is more formal or technical, common in design, architecture, and cars. You clean the inside of a mug but admire a building's interior.
Can "inside" be used as other parts of speech?
Yes. As a noun it means the inner part. It also works as a preposition ("inside the box"), an adverb ("let's go inside"), and an adjective ("an inside pocket"). The core idea of being within stays the same across all of these uses.
What is an example of "inside" as a noun?
"The inside of the car was spotless" points to its interior. You might paint the inside of a cupboard, or feel butterflies inside. In each case the noun names the inner part or space of something rather than its outer surface.
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