outdoors

1 of 3

adverb

out·​doors ˌau̇t-ˈdȯrz How to pronounce outdoors (audio)
ˈau̇t-ˈdȯrz
: outside a building : in or into the open air
I went outdoors for some fresh air.
a game that is meant to be played outdoors

outdoors

2 of 3

noun

plural in form but singular in construction
1
: a place or location away from the confines of a building
Trees surround the home, blurring the lines between outdoors and indoors.Dawn Hammon
usually used with the
let in fresh air from the outdoors
2
: the natural world : the places outside of areas developed by humans
… those delighting in the wonders of outdoors.Marina Brown
usually used with the
a lover of the outdoors
… skiers in Maine can glory in the pleasures of the great outdoors—the ski areas are surrounded by some of the most breathtaking scenery in the state.Down East

outdoors

3 of 3

adjective

: outdoor
… stands displaying equipment and clothing covering a wide spectrum of outdoors pursuits.Clive Tully

Examples of outdoors in a Sentence

Adverb The game is meant to be played outdoors. He worked outdoors all afternoon. I went outdoors for some fresh air.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adverb
Spend time outdoors exploring sensory activities on a short night hike and discover local nocturnal wildlife through interactive games. Luann Gibbs, The Enquirer, 10 Mar. 2024 Unfortunately, it isn't crafted from weather-resistant wood and shouldn't be left outdoors in bad weather. Samantha McIntyre, Parents, 9 Mar. 2024 In the upload, the couple enjoyed some time outdoors on a sunny day. Angel Saunders, Peoplemag, 8 Mar. 2024 People who work outdoors, such as farmworkers — who are overwhelmingly Latino — and those working in construction are vulnerable to heat. Dorany Pineda, Fortune, 4 Mar. 2024 The rabbits appeared well fed, but the majority are longhaired, meaning they should not have been kept outdoors and require daily brushing to avoid painful matting of the fur, Hadzimuratovic said. Nathan Solis, Los Angeles Times, 4 Mar. 2024 Perhaps to be in the great outdoors when nature’s greatest site appears. Jamie Carter, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 The district advises people to wear long sleeves and pants when outdoors to avoid bug bites. Hanh Truong, Sacramento Bee, 27 Feb. 2024 Limit the time children and pets spend outdoors during extreme cold weather. Tamia Fowlkes, Journal Sentinel, 26 Feb. 2024
Noun
Outdoor Adventure Day Families will get a crash course in the outdoors when Cabela’s and the U.S. Sportsmen Alliance Foundation team to produce Family Outdoor Adventure Day on July 9. Brent Frazee, Kansas City Star, 24 Jan. 2024 There will be seamless access to the outdoors from nearly every room. Emma Reynolds, Robb Report, 4 Jan. 2024 The living space gives a wide view of the outdoors with its oversized skylight and glass door. Ingrid Vasquez, Peoplemag, 3 Feb. 2024 Enjoy the outdoors by visiting local attractions like Appalachian State University — located 3.5 miles from the property — the Blue Ridge Parkway access in Blowing Rock — located 9.4 miles from the property — and Tweetsie Railroad — located 6.3 miles from the property. Lorenza Medley, Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2024 This easy-to-install wallpaper features a daisy pattern that brings the outdoors inside. Katiee McKinstry, Rolling Stone, 31 Jan. 2024 Perfect pairing to mix an itinerary with city exploring in Dubrovnik, Split, Hvar, and Zagreb, and enjoy the great outdoors with the best of both worlds! Liz Cantrell, Travel + Leisure, 14 Jan. 2024 Saar — a trailblazer of the Assemblage movement — acknowledges the influence that nature has had in her career, immersing viewers even further into the outdoors with emulated twilight, mesmerizing blue hues and a canoe. Steven Vargas, Los Angeles Times, 8 Nov. 2023 Try lining bookshelves, TV consoles, or bed frames with ivy for an open-air look, and sprinkle small succulents amongst stray stacks of books to seamlessly integrate the outdoors into your space. Abby Wilson, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Dec. 2023
Adjective
The turnkey home’s serene interiors were inspired by Balinese design, and every room prioritizes a seamless connection with the outdoors through floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors and windows. Emma Reynolds, Robb Report, 7 Mar. 2024 Sarah Woodall, an outdoors vlogger who lives just on the east side of Death Valley in Tecopa, managed to experience the intermittent lake just in time. Jireh Deng, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2024 Related Articles Organizers of the event hope to grow it into major national happening for the outdoors industry, similar to the way South by Southwest in Austin, Texas, became a massive event that caters to the music, film and media industries. John Meyer, The Denver Post, 6 Feb. 2024 Below, there’s an outdoors sitting area with a pair of chairs. Christopher Reynolds, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2024 Two massive tree trunks, debarked and smoothly polished, bring more of the outdoors feeling inside. David Caraccio, Sacramento Bee, 21 Feb. 2024 Bill Kearney covers the environment, the outdoors and tropical weather. Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 12 Jan. 2024 Editor’s note: The Wild is all about featuring a variety of exciting voices from SoCal’s outdoors scene. Michael Charboneau, Los Angeles Times, 15 Feb. 2024 Church and Wallen recently teamed up to purchase Field & Stream magazine and relaunch the outdoors brand online and in a print product. Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 15 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'outdoors.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Adverb

circa 1729, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1826, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1790, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of outdoors was circa 1729

Dictionary Entries Near outdoors

Cite this Entry

“Outdoors.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/outdoors. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

outdoors

1 of 2 adverb
out·​doors (ˈ)au̇t-ˈdō(ə)rz How to pronounce outdoors (audio)
-ˈdȯ(ə)rz
: outside a building : in or into the open air

outdoors

2 of 2 noun
1
: a place away from or outside a building
2
: the world away from human dwellings

More from Merriam-Webster on outdoors

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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