Outside means beyond the walls or boundaries of a building or enclosed space. When you go outside, you leave the shelter of your house, school, or car and enter the open air where you can feel the sun, wind, or rain.

The word can describe location: “Meet me outside the library” means just beyond its doors. It can describe the exterior of something: the outside of a house might need painting, while the inside stays clean. In sports, an outside shot in basketball comes from far from the hoop, while an outside hitter in volleyball attacks from the edges of the court.

Outside can also describe being excluded or beyond normal limits. Someone outside your family isn't related to you. An idea from outside your usual thinking might surprise you. When detectives look for an outside suspect, they mean someone not connected to the victim's inner circle.

You might hear people say they need an outside perspective, meaning a fresh viewpoint from someone not involved in the situation. Sometimes we need people outside our immediate group to see things we've missed. The word suggests a boundary or edge, whether physical (outside the fence), social (outside our friend group), or conceptual (outside the box).