Outwhen
/ˈaʊtˌwɛn/
adverbC2
Definition
Outwhen is a rare, advanced word that means “outside the time of” or “beyond a certain time.” It is used to describe something happening before or after a particular time or period. It is often found in formal or literary texts.
Was this helpful?
See It in Action
Happening outside a certain time or period
- •The event was outwhen the official festival dates.
- •His memories are outwhen the years he actually lived there.
- •The documents refer to outwhen periods not covered by the report.
Beyond or outside the limits of a particular time
- •The artist’s style feels outwhen the modern era.
- •Her ideas were considered outwhen the current trends.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "outwhen" like "outside" but with time instead of space — it means beyond or not inside a certain time.
- ✓Picture a clock with a circle around a certain hour, and something happening outside that circle — that is outwhen.
- ✓It’s the feeling of something not fitting into your schedule because it happens too early or too late.
- ✓Sounds like "out-when" → imagine saying “out of when” quickly, meaning not in the right time.
- ✓Imagine a story that talks about events that happen before or after the main story’s time — those events are outwhen.
- ✓NOT like "during" (inside the time), outwhen means outside or beyond the time.
- ✓NOT like "before" or "after" which point to one side of time, outwhen can mean outside any specific time period.
- ✓NOT like "overtime" which means extra time worked, outwhen refers to being outside a time frame, not working extra.
Try Other Words
- •Beyond: meaning farther than or outside a limit (Use when talking about something after a time or limit)
- •Outside: meaning not inside a place or time (Use for general contexts, including time and space)
- •After: meaning later than a time (Use when you want to be specific about time after something)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: "out" (meaning outside) + "when" (time)
- •Etymology: English origin, combining two simple words to express being outside a time
- •Historical development: Rare and old-fashioned, mostly used in literary or formal writing
- •Modern usage: Very uncommon in everyday speech, sometimes used in poetry or formal texts to mean outside a time frame
Reflect & Connect
•Can you think of situations in your life when something felt outwhen—happening too early or too late?
•How does the idea of something being outwhen change how we think about time and events in stories or history?
Fill in the blanks
1.The meeting was scheduled during the conference, but his arrival was outwhen ___ the official dates.
2.Memories from childhood can sometimes feel outwhen ___ the actual years we lived in a place.
3.The artist’s style seems outwhen ___ current fashion trends.
4.When an event is outwhen ___ the planned schedule, it can cause confusion.
5.The report covers the year 2020, but some data is from outwhen ___ that period.
6.Saying something is outwhen means it happens ___ the expected or normal time.
7.If a story includes events outwhen ___ the main timeline, it may be harder to follow.