outward

out‧ward /ˈaʊtwəd $ -wərd/ BrE AmE adjective
1. [only before noun] relating to how a person or situation seems to be, rather than how it really is OPP inward:
The economy and outward appearance of the area have changed considerably.
His clenched fist was the only outward sign of his anger.
2. outward journey/voyage etc a journey in which you are travelling away from home
3. [only before noun] directed towards the outside or away from a place:
the outward flow of oil

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

outward

out·ward [ˈaʊtwəd] [ˈaʊtwərd] adjective only before noun
1. connected with the way people or things seem to be rather than with what is actually true
• Mark showed no outward signs of distress.
• She simply observes the outward forms of religion.
• To all outward appearances (= as far as it was possible to judge from the outside) they were perfectly happy.
• There were no outward signs that the house was inhabited.

Opp: inward

2. going away from a particular place, especially one that you are going to return to

• the outward voyage/journey

3. away from the centre or a particular point
• outward movement
• outward investment (= in other countries)
• Managers need to become more outward-looking (= more open to new ideas).
Opp: inward
Word Origin:
[outward] Old English ūtweard (see out-, -ward).
Example Bank:

• To all outward appearances they were perfectly happy.

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

outward / ˈaʊt.wəd / / -wɚd / adjective [ before noun ] (ON OUTSIDE)

relating to how people, situations, or things seem to be, rather than how they are inside:

The outward appearance of the building has not changed at all in 200 years.

If he is suffering, he certainly shows no outward sign of it.

To all outward appearances everything was fine, but under the surface the marriage was very shaky.

→ Compare inward adjective (INSIDE)

Collins Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary

outward

[a͟ʊtwə(r)d]
1) ADJ: ADJ n An outward journey is a journey that you make away from a place that you are intending to return to later.
  Tickets must be bought seven days in advance, with outward and return journey dates specified.
  Ant:
  return
2) ADJ: ADJ n The outward feelings, qualities, or attitudes of someone or something are the ones they appear to have rather than the ones that they actually have.
  In spite of my outward calm I was very shaken...
  What the military rulers have done is to restore the outward appearance of order.
3) ADJ: ADJ n The outward features of something are the ones that you can see from the outside.
  Mark was lying unconscious but with no outward sign of injury.
4) → See also outwards

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

¹out·ward /ˈaʊtwɚd/ adj always used before a noun
1 : of or relating to the way that someone or something looks or seems on the outside
• Despite her outward [=apparent] calm, she was extremely nervous about the interview.
• They showed no outward signs of fear, but they must have been afraid.
• She was waiting for some outward expression of his love.
• To/By/From all outward appearances, their marriage was quite normal.
2 : able to be seen
• He has great outward [=physical] beauty, but is he beautiful on the inside? [=is he a good person?]
• There was no outward [=visible] evidence that the parents abused the child.
• outward symptoms of the disease
3 : moving or directed away from something
• The outward migration of people from the city has hurt the city's economy greatly.
• He made a slight outward movement with his right hand.
- opposite inward