outcome

American  

[aut-kuhm] / ˈaʊtˌkʌm /

noun

• outcomes
  plural

1. a final product or end result; consequence; issue.

2. a conclusion reached through a process of logical thinking.

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outcome British  

/ ˈaʊtˌkʌm /

noun

1. something that follows from an action, dispute, situation, etc; result; consequence

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Synonym Usage

See end ¹.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• outcomes
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of outcome

First recorded in 1175–1225, outcome is from the Middle English word utcume. See out-, come

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Explanation

The result of something, or the consequence of it, is the outcome. If your oldest child announces that your youngest child has climbed onto the roof with a handmade set of wings, you should probably not expect a good outcome. Better run! The noun outcome refers to the result of a process, but recently, when joined with the word "based", it has become jargon within a variety of industries and you'll see uses like outcome-based medicine and outcome-based budgeting. Outcome-based education, for example, rewards schools and teachers whose students meet certain goals on standardized tests, although critics argue this robs teachers and students of creativity.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

outcome outcomes

But it’s also true that hackers will often keep information confidential pending the outcome of a ransom demand.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2026

Experts say it is too early to judge the outcome of the transfers, especially considering the whales were facing euthanasia and had been living in an ageing facility.

From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2026

Whatever the case, the post has now led to a supremely ironic outcome: One of the first major cases under H.B.

From Slate ● Oct. 16, 2026

"It's stunning," lead author Daniel Collins told AFP about the outcome of the experiments, recalling the "eureka moment" when he first saw positive results and rushed to his PhD supervisor's office to share the news.

From Barron's ● Oct. 14, 2026

And there are good reasons for this: the first battle whose outcome was determined by gunpowder is often said to be Cerignola in 1503, and printing had very little impact before 1500.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

“Dehumanization and demonization lead to the worst outcomes, and this kicks out from under anybody the lazy position that the people on the other side aren’t human,” she says.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026

Instead, there are individual forecasts with no discernible connection between the rate forecast and economic outcomes.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2026

They all appear to be daily creating the conditions for the outcomes they’re warning us against.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026

The analysis was observational, meaning it identified relationships between eating habits and health outcomes without directly testing whether changing meal times prevents liver disease.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 15, 2026

Major battles of the Revolution, with symbols indicating which were won by American or British forces and which resulted in outcomes that were not so clear, are shown on this map.

From "George Washington, Spymaster" by Thomas B. Allen

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Related Words

• conclusion
• event
• fallout
• issue
• reaction
• result

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