Phrase guide

inside out

adj · adv · 7 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • /ˌɪnsaɪdˈaʊt/
  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Alternative form of inside-out.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: alt-of, alternative, not-comparable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adv

Meaning 2

With the inside surface turned to be on the outside.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Examples

  • I now realise that I have my shirt on inside out.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: right side out

3

adv

Meaning 3

Thoroughly; extremely well.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Examples

  • I know IBM Assembler Language inside out.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adv

Meaning 4

Completely; through and through; to the core.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Examples

  • We're hometown hockey fans inside out.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

adv

Meaning 5

Describes the hitting of a ball that pitched outside of leg stump to the off side of the field.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Topics: ball-games, cricket, games, hobbies, lifestyle, sports

Examples

  • He hit the ball inside out in an ugly manner, but scored a four.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

adverb

Meaning 6

with the inside facing outward

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • she turned the shirt inside out

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

adverb

Meaning 7

thoroughly; from every perspective

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • she knows this town inside out

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

In the sense thoroughly, an asyndetic clipping of inside and out.

Across languages

Translations

69 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Afrikaans: binnestebuite — with the inside turned to be on the outside
  • Arabic: بِالْمَقْلُوبِ (bi-l-maqlūbi) — with the inside turned to be on the outside
  • Armenian: թարս (tʻars) — with the inside turned to be on the outside
  • Azerbaijani: tərs — with the inside turned to be on the outside
  • Azerbaijani: tərsinə — with the inside turned to be on the outside
  • Chinese Mandarin: 反 (fǎn) — with the inside turned to be on the outside
  • Chinese Mandarin: 穿反 (chuānfǎn) — with the inside turned to be on the outside
  • Czech: naruby — with the inside turned to be on the outside
  • Dutch: binnenstebuiten — with the inside turned to be on the outside
  • Esperanto: inversigita — with the inside turned to be on the outside
  • Esperanto: reversita — with the inside turned to be on the outside
  • Finnish: nurinperin — with the inside turned to be on the outside
  • Finnish: nurinpäin — with the inside turned to be on the outside
  • French: à l'envers — with the inside turned to be on the outside
  • German: auf links — with the inside turned to be on the outside
  • Greek: ανάποδα (anápoda) — with the inside turned to be on the outside
  • Hebrew: הפוך (hafukh) — with the inside turned to be on the outside
  • Hindi: उलटा (ulṭā) — with the inside turned to be on the outside
  • Hungarian: kifordítva — with the inside turned to be on the outside
  • Icelandic: á röngunni — with the inside turned to be on the outside
  • Ingrian: murniin — with the inside turned to be on the outside
  • Irish: taobh tuathail amach — with the inside turned to be on the outside
  • Irish: taobh istigh amuigh — with the inside turned to be on the outside
  • Italian: alla rovescia — with the inside turned to be on the outside
  • Japanese: 裏表逆に (uraomote gyaku ni) — with the inside turned to be on the outside
  • Japanese: 裏返しで (uragaeshi de) — with the inside turned to be on the outside
  • Polish: na lewą stronę — with the inside turned to be on the outside
  • Portuguese: ao avesso — with the inside turned to be on the outside
  • Russian: наизна́нку (naiznánku) — with the inside turned to be on the outside
  • Russian: навы́ворот (navývorot) — with the inside turned to be on the outside
  • Scottish Gaelic: an taobh a-staigh a-muigh — with the inside turned to be on the outside
  • Scottish Gaelic: caoin air ascaoin — with the inside turned to be on the outside
  • Spanish: (sacado / vuelto) de / al revés — with the inside turned to be on the outside
  • Spanish: evertidamente — with the inside turned to be on the outside
  • Spanish: tener / con lo de adentro afuera — with the inside turned to be on the outside
  • Swedish: ut och in — with the inside turned to be on the outside
  • Swedish: på avigan — with the inside turned to be on the outside
  • Swedish: avig — with the inside turned to be on the outside
  • Ukrainian: нави́воріт (navývorit) — with the inside turned to be on the outside
  • Welsh: y tu chwith allan — with the inside turned to be on the outside
  • Welsh: y tu mewn allan — with the inside turned to be on the outside
  • Welsh: tu fewn tu fas — with the inside turned to be on the outside
  • Afrikaans: deur en deur — of knowledge: thoroughly
  • Afrikaans: van hoek tot kant — of knowledge: thoroughly
  • Afrikaans: deeglik — of knowledge: thoroughly
  • Chinese Mandarin: 瞭如指掌 /了如指掌 (liǎorúzhǐzhǎng) — of knowledge: thoroughly
  • Esperanto: funde — of knowledge: thoroughly
  • Esperanto: de interne kaj de ekstere — of knowledge: thoroughly
  • Finnish: läpikotaisin — of knowledge: thoroughly
  • French: à fond — of knowledge: thoroughly
  • French: parfaitement — of knowledge: thoroughly
  • French: comme sa poche — of knowledge: thoroughly
  • German: in- und auswendig — of knowledge: thoroughly
  • Greek: απ’ έξω (ap’ éxo) — of knowledge: thoroughly
  • Hindi: पूरा (pūrā) — of knowledge: thoroughly
  • Hindi: संपूर्ण रूप से (sampūrṇ rūp se) — of knowledge: thoroughly
  • Hindi: पूर्णता (pūrṇatā) — of knowledge: thoroughly
  • Italian: a fondo — of knowledge: thoroughly
  • Japanese: 隅々まで — of knowledge: thoroughly
  • Polish: na wylot — of knowledge: thoroughly
  • Portuguese: a fundo — of knowledge: thoroughly
  • Portuguese: de cabo a rabo — of knowledge: thoroughly
  • Russian: назубо́к (nazubók) — of knowledge: thoroughly
  • Russian: вдоль и поперёк (vdolʹ i poperjók) — of knowledge: thoroughly
  • Spanish: de cabo a rabo — of knowledge: thoroughly
  • Spanish: como la palma de su mano — of knowledge: thoroughly
  • Swedish: utan och innan — of knowledge: thoroughly
  • Finnish: sisäkautta ulos — cricket term
  • Polish: na lewą stronę — cricket term