inner

adjective

in·​ner ˈi-nər How to pronounce inner (audio)
Synonyms of innernext
1
a
: situated farther in
the inner bark
b
: being near a center especially of influence
the inner circles of political power
2
a
: of or relating to the mind or spirit
the inner life
b
: existing as an often repressed part of one's psychological makeup
inner child
inner artist
inner noun
innerly adverb

Synonyms of inner

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of inner in a Sentence

She led the guests to an inner room. the inner face of the arch the inner lining of the jacket listening to her inner voice
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Tawfik will be perfect to portray the character’s inner struggle. — Annika Pham, Variety, 25 Aug. 2026 Regan Slater channelled his inner David Beckham with his set-piece deliveries, Mohamed Belloumi ran around nutmegging people, and McBurnie dropped a lone-striker masterclass. — Stuart James, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026 Mamdani is taking a valuable first step in making food available to inner-city residents. — Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 25 Aug. 2026 Unlike the inner lining of the uterus, endometriosis tissue doesn’t leave the body during menstruation, and cysts and adhesions can sometimes develop. — Adam England, PEOPLE, 25 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for inner

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English innera, comparative of inne within

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of inner was before the 12th century

Phrases Containing inner

Rhymes for inner

See All Rhymes for inner

Browse Nearby Words

in negotiation
inner
inner anhydride
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Inner.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inner. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

inner

adjective
in·​ner ˈin-ər How to pronounce inner (audio)
1
a
: situated farther in
inner room
b
: being near a center especially of influence
an inner circle of advisors
2
: of or relating to the mind or spirit
inner peace
innerly adverb
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All