outcome
Americannoun
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outcomes
plural
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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:
Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit ordered my immediate release, pending the final outcome of my appeal.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026
These were two different rate environments, but the outcome was the same.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 1, 2026
And this genuine understanding of staying humble, staying true to the reason you started this journey to begin with, is going to be the best outcome.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
The board papers contained a further report, headed Response to the Independent Stillbirth Review, which said four cases were assessed as having care deficiencies likely to have affected the outcome for the baby.
From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026
The only outcome from the teasing was my seriously damaged sense of self, and if I'm going to be truthful, not even tweezers helped repair it.
From "Americanized" by Sara Saedi
People taking vitamin C showed changes in inflammatory signaling that align with better outcomes.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 3, 2026
That doesn’t require a thumb on the scale against appealing outcomes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026
In an interview with MarketWatch Thursday, specialist emerging market fund manager Malcolm Dorson discussed the potential outcomes of Sunday’s ballot and the opportunities it presents to investors.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 2, 2026
He adds that "Wales' constitutional settlement should continue to evolve to improve democratic accountability, boost growth, strengthen public services and deliver better outcomes for our communities".
From BBC ● Oct. 1, 2026
In short, the variable outcomes of the Austronesian expansion strikingly illustrate the role of food production in human population movements.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
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.
