- present participle of outgo.
outgoing
Americanadjective
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going out; departing.
outgoing trains.
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leaving or retiring from a position or office.
A farewell party was given for the outgoing members of the board of directors.
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addressed and ready for posting.
outgoing mail.
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of or relating to food prepared for delivery or consumption off the premises.
outgoing orders at the pizza parlor.
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interested in and responsive to others; friendly; sociable.
an outgoing personality.
noun
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Chiefly British. Usually outgoings. expenses; money expended.
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the act of going out.
The ship's outgoing proved more difficult than its incoming.
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something that goes out; effluence.
an outgoing measured in kilowatt hours.
adjective
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departing; leaving
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leaving or retiring from office
the outgoing chairman
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friendly and sociable
noun
Etymology
Origin of outgoing
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English (gerund); out- + going
Explanation
The adjective outgoing describes someone with a friendly, easy personality. Your outgoing friend might not understand how hard it is for shy people to speak in front of an audience. If you're the only member of your outgoing family who is reserved, you might feel silent and invisible in their sociable midst. People who are outgoing are perfectly comfortable in social situations. A completely different meaning of outgoing describes someone who is departing, like an employee who will soon retire, or an outgoing club treasurer who isn't running for re-election.
Vocabulary lists containing outgoing
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It is also understood that outgoing sporting director Txiki Begiristain recommended him as Guardiola's heir when handing over his responsibilities to Hugo Viana upon leaving the club last summer.
From BBC • Jun. 29, 2026
In these races, Lander and Chevalier defeated incumbent representatives while Valdez defeated the sitting Brooklyn Borough president, Antonio Reynoso, who also enjoyed the support of the outgoing Rep. Nydia Velázquez, D-N.Y.
From Salon • Jun. 26, 2026
In response to a question from the audience, Bessent expressed confidence in Warsh, who was picked by the president to replace outgoing Fed Chair Jerome Powell after a lengthy public contest.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 24, 2026
The outgoing president decreed a 24% minimum wage hike this January, more than even unions were demanding.
From Barron's • Jun. 22, 2026
His classmates found him outgoing, freewheeling, handy with a joke, and fun to be around.
From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
