Definition

1. Verb (transitive):
   • To make something internal, abstract, or subjective become external, objective, or concrete; to give outward form or reality to something.
   • In philosophy and psychology, to project an internal thought, feeling, or process into the external world.

Usage and Examples

• General Usage:

  • Artists exteriorise their emotions through their paintings. (They give a tangible form to their internal feelings.)
  • The new policy aims to exteriorise the company's commitment to sustainability. (It aims to make an abstract commitment visible and concrete in practice.)

• Psychological/Philosophical Usage:

  • Language is a primary tool humans use to exteriorise their thoughts. (It allows internal thoughts to be expressed and shared externally.)
  • In therapy, patients are encouraged to exteriorise their anxieties by writing them down. (This means to project internal worries outwards, making them an object to be examined.)

Advanced Usage and Nuances

• Exteriorise vs. Externalise: "Exteriorise" and "externalise" are often used interchangeably, especially in British English where "exteriorise" is a common variant. Both mean to make external. "Externalise" is more frequent in general and economic contexts (e.g., ), while "exteriorise" can be found more in philosophical, artistic, or psychological discussions.
• As a Process: The term often describes an active process of bringing the inside out.
  • The sculpture exteriorises the concept of time. (The abstract concept is given a physical, external shape.)

Variants and Related Words

• Exteriorisation (noun): The act or process of exteriorising.
  • The exteriorisation of grief is an important step in the healing process.
• Externalise (verb): The more common spelling, identical in core meaning.
• Exterior (adjective/noun): Outer; the outside surface or part. This is the root word.
• Internalise (verb): The direct opposite; to make attitudes or behavior part of one's nature by learning or assimilation.

Synonyms

• Express: To convey (a thought or feeling) in words or by gestures and conduct.
• Manifest: To display or show (a quality or feeling) by one's acts or appearance; to demonstrate.
• Objectify: To express (something abstract) in a concrete form; to treat as an object.
• Project: To attribute or transfer (one's own emotion or desire) to an external object or person.

Antonyms

• Internalise: To incorporate within oneself.
• Suppress: To restrain or inhibit (a thought, feeling, or expression).
• Conceal: To keep from sight; to hide.

Related Phrases and Conceptual Use

• "To exteriorise conflict": In social or political contexts, to bring a hidden or internal conflict out into the open.
  • The negotiations helped to exteriorise the tensions between the two departments.
• "To exteriorise an idea": To move an idea from the mind into a shareable, tangible form, such as a document, prototype, or work of art.
  • The inventor worked for years to exteriorise his vision for a new type of engine.

Verb

1. make external or objective, or give reality to
   • language externalizes our thoughts