- present participle of out.
outing
Americannoun
-
outings
plural
-
a pleasure trip, excursion, picnic, or the like.
the annual outing for the senior class.
- Synonyms:
- jaunt
-
a public appearance, as by a participant in an athletic contest or event.
The new player scored spectacularly in his second outing with the team.
-
the intentional exposure of a person’s denied or secret identity, orientation, or status, especially gay sexual orientation or transgender identity.
noun
-
a short outward and return journey; trip; excursion
-
informal the naming by homosexuals of other prominent homosexuals, often against their will
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of outing
First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English; see origin at out, -ing 1
Explanation
An outing is a short trip, especially one that takes no longer than a day. For example, you might ask your pal if he'd like to go on an outing to the zoo. A summer outing might be a picnic or a day at the beach, while a winter outing could consist of a hike in the snow or a shopping trip and lunch at a restaurant. Any brief, fun journey can be called an outing. In the fourteenth century, an outing was simply the "action of going out," and in the fifteenth century it started to mean "act of putting out" as well. By the 1800s it had gained today's definition.
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.
See Examples For:
He stopped pitching entirely after his outing on July 3 because of his sore knee.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 14, 2026
This outing is, clearly, an homage, but by the end I have concluded that it is simply an art project, which is a fully legitimate reason to do something.
From Salon ● Oct. 7, 2026
Starters this decade have averaged less than 4 ⅔ innings and about 74 pitches per game in the postseason, an outing that would have embarrassed their predecessors from generations ago.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026
It was Alcaraz's first singles outing since his late-night quarter-final exit to Ben Shelton at the US Open.
From BBC ● Sep. 27, 2026
She took off cantering back toward the center of town, where the society belles were gathering for an afternoon outing.
From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan
Other families schedule regular outings whose primary purpose is simply to build relationships.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 17, 2026
Shannon and Narducy have built these outings around the R.E.M. catalog, with each tour centering on an album which is performed in full, from start to finish.
From Salon ● Oct. 7, 2026
Striker Mheuka, 18, has extended his contract at Chelsea until 2031, having made nine outings for the London club.
From BBC ● Sep. 2, 2026
Lauer had given up more than three runs in just two other outings since the Dodgers acquired him from the Blue Jays in mid-May, and Tuesday marked his shortest start.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026
Woman to Woman has one monthly meeting where we all gather together, and in between those meetings we have one-on-one outings with our mentors.
From "Piecing Me Together" by Renée Watson
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