at the outset

Idioms  

1. Also, from the outset. At the start, from the start. For example, He wanted to explain his position from the outset, but there wasn't time, or At the outset the problem seemed simple, but then it became quite complicated. The noun outset is rarely heard today except in these phrases. [Mid-1700s]

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Example Sentences

In a new report this week, the IMF detailed the economic costs of war, estimating that output in countries where fighting takes place drops by three percent at the outset, "and continues falling for years."

From Barron's • Apr. 9, 2026

“I don’t think any of us understood at the outset what magnitude that would be,” she said.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 12, 2026

Engine maker Cummins fell 11%, its largest percent decrease since March 2020, at the outset of the Covid-19 pandemic.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 5, 2026

Rachel and Stephen were both chosen as traitors at the outset, and soon formed an alliance to stick together.

From BBC • Jan. 23, 2026

This appeared at the outset to be an expansive portfolio.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

Related Words

• initially
• originally