EXTERNAL Synonyms: 43 Similar and Opposite Words

external

adjective

ek-ˈstər-nᵊl

Definition of external

as in extrinsic

not being a vital part of or belonging to something the defendant's socioeconomic status must be regarded as entirely external to his guilt or innocence

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 Silver succeeds Raju Prasad, who is stepping down from the company to pursue external opportunities. — Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026 Following backlash, Crawford removed the post from her X timeline on Sunday afternoon and apologized for violating the network’s standards, amid complaints from internal and external critics about the post to CBS News leadership. — semafor.com, 19 Oct. 2026 Clarity gauges whether or not the diamond has of internal imperfections or external flaws, and carat weight, the most obvious of them all, provides insight into the actual metric weight of the diamond. — Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 19 Oct. 2026 Stopping testosterone abruptly without PCT leaves the body in a temporary state of hypogonadism, meaning external testosterone is gone but natural production hasn’t restarted yet. — Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Oct. 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

Definition of extrinsic

Adjective

The tentative plans are to eventually extend their reach to remote bases in harsh weather conditions—potentially near combat zones—and eventually to lunar bases and the outer reaches of the solar system.

— Jordan Blum, Fortune, 25 Oct. 2026
Such armor typically consists of an outer sacrificial bumper that is separated from the main craft by space.

— Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 25 Oct. 2026

Definition of outer

Adjective

The shift may have been good for business, but users often lamented that lack of control, complaining that the recommendation algorithms could send them down rabbit holes of irrelevant or even toxic content.

— Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 22 Oct. 2026
The Tesla and SpaceX CEO predicts that advances in robotics and space exploration could eventually make conventional money irrelevant.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of irrelevant

Adjective

Beirut's private-press scene has little in common with the studio culture of ’80s Tokyo, where an abundance of resources and technology filtered the same foreign influences into something more perfect and polished.

— Shy Clara Thompson, Pitchfork, 23 Oct. 2026
Reuters reported that Tesla’s work in China could also complicate things, as Starlink technology is used in foreign conflicts and the company has a relationship with the Pentagon.

— Ashley Gold, semafor.com, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of foreign

Adjective

In some instances a victim’s extraneous activity has made a prosecutor’s task more difficult.

— Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Oct. 2026
McAuliffe, now a breast cancer surgeon and clinical investigator at Emory University, said that surgeons encounter a lot of extraneous information in the electronic health record — but the nudge was simple.

— Allessandra DiCorato, STAT, 8 Oct. 2026