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# inward

«inward» in Mova's school dictionary: **going towards the inside or the centre («the door opens…** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 5 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

adjective (inward); adverb (inward, also inwards)

### meaning for a pupil

1) Inward means going towards the inside or the centre («the door opens inward»). [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/inward/#m1)

2) Inward also means inside your mind or feelings and not shown to others («inward fear»). [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/inward/#m2)

3) Inward can also mean hidden deep inside something, not obvious on the surface. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/inward/#m3)

### sense in the lessons

In science and maths it describes direction (forces pulling inward, arrows pointing inward, a dent bending inward). In stories it tells the reader about a character's hidden thoughts: «inward smile», «inward sigh». Opposite: outward. Phrases: «turn inward», «inward and outward».

### examples

- The door opens inward, so pull it towards you. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/inward/#x1)
- The walls of the tent bent inward in the wind. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/inward/#x2)
- She gave an inward sigh but smiled politely. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/inward/#x3)
- His toes point inward when he walks. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/inward/#x4)
- Gravity pulls objects inward towards the centre of the Earth. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/inward/#x5)
- He felt an inward fear, though he looked calm. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/inward/#x6)
- The petals curl inward at night. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/inward/#x7)
- Breathe in and feel your tummy move inward. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/inward/#x8)
- Soon the inward meaning of it leaked out, and the great heart of the public was touched. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/inward/#x9)

### note

«Inwards» (with s) is common in British English as an adverb; American English prefers «inward». As an adjective before a noun use «inward» («an inward feeling»). Opposite: «outward(s)». Related: «inwardly».

### In the corpora

- [Turned inward, over the counter, it is out of the way.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/31-kitchen-safety/5/)
- [Pot and pan handles should be turned inward so nobody can knock or grab them.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/31-kitchen-safety/10/)
- [The giant planets probably moved their orbits after they formed, scattering many small icy bodies inward and outward.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/space/2-how-the-solar-system-was-born/13/)
- [Hobs and pans stay hot long after they are switched off, so pan handles are turned inward and nobody reaches over a hob.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/technology/15-kitchen-and-garden-dangers/9/)
- [And he washed the inwards and the legs, and made them smoke upon the burnt-offering on the altar.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/torah/jps/LEV.224/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «inward» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/inward/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.