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

See Examples For:

at the outset

The Houthis, whose heartland is among Yemen's Zaidi Muslims in the country's north, seized the capital Sanaa in 2014 at the outset of the civil war, driving the government to Aden in the south.

From Barron's ● Sep. 14, 2026

“It’s just the way that this business goes,” Adams said at the outset of training camp.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 9, 2026

"DOI provided less than fulsome information at the outset of this case," the document said.

From BBC ● Aug. 1, 2026

As Scott Kahan, director of the National Center for Weight and Wellness, puts it, expect confusion and hiccups at the outset.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 2, 2026

But the poor judgement of men will begin something that seems good at the outset without noticing the poison concealed underneath, as I said earlier in connection with consumptive fevers.

From "The Prince" by Niccolò Machiavelli

Related Words

• initially
• originally