* Literal use: "The old, abandoned factory stood on the outskirts of town, a stark reminder of a bygone era."
* Figurative use: "He felt like he was living on the outskirts of his own life, watching everything important happen from afar."
* Descriptive: "The outskirts of the city were a patchwork of suburban homes, small businesses, and sprawling fields."
* Action: "We drove through the outskirts of the city, passing rows of identical houses."
* Comparison: "The village was so small that it felt like the outskirts of a much larger town."
Remember that "outskirts" is a plural noun, so it always takes a plural verb.