Meaning & use
external use only
Last updated
Meaning
phrasefixed phrase
A warning on a product label meaning it should be put on the outside of the body only, never swallowed or injected.
Grammar: Used as a fixed label or warning; it does not change form and is not usually part of a longer sentence.
Patterns
- for external use only
- external use only on the label
The tube of cream says 'external use only' in large red letters.
This medicine is for external use only, so do not swallow it.
The pharmacist reminded me that the gel is for external use only.
Common combinations
- for external use only
- The bottle is marked 'for external use only'.
- external use only on the label
- Always check whether a product says external use only on the label.
- medicine for external use only
- This is a medicine for external use only, so keep it away from your eyes.
Synonyms and how they differ
- for topical use
- More technical and medical; it means the same thing but is used by doctors and on prescriptions rather than in everyday speech.
Commonly confused: external use only or for internal use?
external use only vs for internal use
The opposite instruction: it means the product should be swallowed or taken into the body, not put on the skin.
Practice
A cream is labeled 'external use only.' What should you do with it?
Choose one answer.
'External use only' means the product is for the outside of the body, such as the skin. Swallowing or injecting it would be internal use, which the label warns against.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “external use only”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.