outlying

/ˈaʊtlaɪɪŋ/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈaʊtlaɪɪŋ/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈau̇t-ˌlī-iŋ/ (ame, mw)

outlying — adjective

  • outlyingpositive
  • more outlyingcomparative
  • most outlyingsuperlative

1. located on the edge of a larger place rather than in its center.

1.形容詞B2
釋義

located on the edge of a larger place rather than in its center.

例句

The clinic serves several outlying villages beyond the river.

collocation: outlying villages

After the storm, crews checked the outlying farms by helicopter.

often used for places away from the main town

同義詞
  • remote

    emphasizes distance and difficulty of access more than edge position

  • peripheral

    is more formal and often used for systems, organizations, or body parts

  • outer

    is better for parts of one object or bounded space than for towns and districts

反義詞
  • central

    means in or near the middle of a place

  • inner

    means closer to the middle than the edge

文法句型

outlying village

outlying district

outlying island

outlying area

用法筆記

Usually modifies nouns for areas, villages, districts, or islands. Distinguish from remote: outlying often suggests being on the edge of a larger area, not simply being hard to reach.

常見錯誤

❌My aunt lives in an outlying.
✅My aunt lives in an outlying village.
💡outlying is usually used before a noun naming a place or area.

2. so different from the rest of a group that it should not be used to decide what

2.形容詞C1
釋義

so different from the rest of a group that it should not be used to decide what is generally true.

例句

The team treated the number as an outlying value and checked the chart again.

pattern: outlying value

One outlying case can change the average in a small class.

outlying case can distort a result

同義詞
  • atypical

    is broader and does not always imply strong distance from the rest of the group

  • anomalous

    is more formal and often used in technical or statistical writing

  • unrepresentative

    focuses on not standing for the whole group, which is close to this sense

反義詞

文法句型

outlying case

outlying value

outlying incident

outlying answer

用法筆記

Used for data, examples, events, or cases that sit far from the rest of a set. Distinguish from sense 1: this sense is about exceptionality within a group, not physical distance from a center.

常見錯誤

❌One outlying score proves the whole class is weak.
✅One outlying score does not prove the whole class is weak.
💡an outlying item is an exception and should not be treated as the main evidence.