outcome
Americannoun
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outcomes
plural
-
a final product or end result; consequence; issue.
-
a conclusion reached through a process of logical thinking.
noun
Synonym Usage
See end 1.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of outcome
First recorded in 1175–1225, outcome is from the Middle English word utcume. See out-, come
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.
Vocabulary lists containing outcome
List 10
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100 SAT words Beginning with "O"
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Chapter 18: The Reconstruction Era
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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.
See Examples For:
The end could now be accelerated by the outcome of the investigation into his positive test.
From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026
Whatever the outcome, the parties are all but certain to appeal.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026
ABC said if the FCC were to go forward with a license renewal hearing inside the agency “an adverse outcome is all but guaranteed.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 18, 2026
I have started to self-police against this outcome.
From Slate ● Aug. 18, 2026
Like he’d imagined every possible outcome of this moment— me looking for Traveler and seeing Oliver instead—and we were experiencing the worst of them.
From "Bye Forever, I Guess" by Jodi Meadows
Research has found the construction of roads can fragment habitats and increase erosion and sediment pollution in drinking water, among other potentially harmful outcomes.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026
The DWP said it would "improve compliance" and "deliver better outcomes for children".
From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026
"We need to help these patients recover with the best outcomes."
From Science Daily ● Aug. 16, 2026
I have better outcomes at my work and am more present with the family.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026
That, combined with my rage and my thirst, leaves me uncertain of which of the three outcomes I want.
From "Dry" by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman
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.
