- 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:
At the 2024 Italian Grand Prix, the day before they formally announced Antonelli was the replacement for Ferrari-bound Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes gave him an outing in first practice at Monza.
From BBC ● Sep. 23, 2026
This record is, somehow, Tom Morello’s first official rock ‘n’ roll solo outing, despite everything that’s preceded it.
From Salon ● Sep. 22, 2026
“Next time I see you, I expect to see you in Miraflores,” one told her on a recent outing, referring to the presidential palace in Caracas.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 19, 2026
Pop singer Lady Gaga and her fiancé, tech investor Michael Polansky, were recently photographed with a newborn child during an outing in Northern California, according to Page Six.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 12, 2026
She invoked the Sunday rule as soon as he returned from the skateboard park, and a family outing was launched.
From "Hoot" by Carl Hiaasen
Kershaw’s 41 postseason appearances include four starts on short rest and nine relief outings.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
The same also applied for the subsequent outings against Ipswich and Everton.
From BBC ● Sep. 10, 2026
School children have outings to waterworks to understand how precious the resource is, and households have embraced water-saving devices for shower heads and toilet cisterns.
From BBC ● Aug. 29, 2026
What she heard in candid conversations between canoe outings and poker games made one thing clear: Wall Street’s anxiety about AI is reaching new heights.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 23, 2026
When we were on the road, I tried to initiate team dinners and arrange group outings when we landed in a new country or city for a competition.
From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad
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.
