internally
/ɪnˈtɜː.nəl.i/ IELTSAcademic
adverb
Inside a person, group, or thing; not on the outside. It can also mean in a person's mind or feelings, not spoken aloud.
- The injury was more serious internally than it looked.
- She was crying internally, but stayed calm outside.
- The company solved the issue internally.
Adinary Nuance
Internally is often more exact than inside when you mean a person's thoughts, feelings, or body. It is also more formal than in-house when talking about a company or organization. Use internally in reports, academic writing, and careful speech.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- bên trong
- Spanish
- internamente
- Chinese
- 在内部
- Japanese
- 内部で
- Korean
- 내부적으로
Etymology
Internally comes from internal, from Latin internus meaning “inside” or “within.” It entered English through French and later formed the adverb with -ly.
Common phrases
internally damagedinternally focusedinternally consistenthandled internally
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is internally the same as inside?
- Not always. Internally is more formal and often used for thoughts, feelings, systems, or hidden problems.
- Can I use internally in business writing?
- Yes. It is common in business reports, policies, and professional emails.
- What's the difference between internally and in-house?
- Internally means within a person, body, or organization. In-house usually means done by the company itself.
- Can internally describe feelings?
- Yes. For example, someone can feel upset internally but not show it.