: a part remote from the center : border
—usually plural
on the outskirts of town

Examples of outskirt in a Sentence

some people prefer to live on the outskirts and work inside the city
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The effects of displacement and reduced assistance are visible at the Luglow settlement on the outskirts of Kismayo, a port city home to more than 250,000 people in the country's south. — ABC News, 12 Oct. 2026 Firefighters were making progress Sunday evening on a fast-moving wildfire burning near homes in the outskirts of Santa Clarita. — Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2026 But that's little consolation for those who are stuck on the outskirts of the job market, knocking on doors that rarely open. — Scott Horsley, NPR, 11 Oct. 2026 The man in his 40s and the woman in her 50s were attacked on Wednesday night in the Bayanzurkh district on the outskirts of Ulaanbaatar, the city's environment department chief Munkhbayar M told a news briefing. — CBS News, 8 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for outskirt

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1599, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of outskirt was circa 1599

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Outskirt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/outskirt. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!