outlet

American  

[out-let, -lit] / ˈaʊt lɛt, -lɪt /

noun

outlets plural

1. an opening or passage by which anything is let out; vent; exit.

2. Electricity.

   1. a point on a wiring system at which current is taken to supply electric devices.

   2. Also called outlet box.  the metal box or receptacle designed to facilitate connections to a wiring system.

3. a means of expression or satisfaction.

   an outlet for one's artistic impulses.

4. a market for goods.

5. a store, merchant, or agency selling the goods of a particular wholesaler or manufacturer.

6. a local radio or television station that broadcasts the programs of a large network.

7. a river or stream flowing from a body of water, as a lake or pond.

8. the channel such a river or stream follows.

9. the lower end or mouth of a river where it meets a large body of water, as a lake or the sea.

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outlet British  

/ ˈaʊtlɛt, -lɪt /

noun

1. an opening or vent permitting escape or release

2. a means for release or expression of emotion, creative energy, etc

3. 1. a market for a product or service

   2. a commercial establishment retailing the goods of a particular producer or wholesaler

4. 1. a channel that drains a body of water

   2. the mouth of a river

5. a point in a wiring system from which current can be taken to supply electrical devices

6. anatomy the beginning or end of a passage, esp the lower opening of the pelvis ( pelvic outlet )

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• outlets
  plural

Etymology

Origin of outlet

First recorded in 1200–50, outlet is from the Middle English word utlete. See out, let ¹

Explanation

Any hole or opening that allows water or gas to get out is an outlet. The place where water runs out of a lake and into a river is one example of an outlet. When you need to charge your laptop, you plug it into an electrical outlet, which gets its name from the idea that electricity comes out of it, just as water flows out of a river outlet. Outlet is also used to mean "store that sells discounted goods" and "a way to express yourself emotionally creatively." Dancing might be your outlet, for example — the way you let your feelings and creativity out.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

outlet outlets

The waterway has provided an outlet for some of the crude bottled up in Hormuz.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026

Film industry outlet Variety reported, external that an X message embedded with a high-quality version of the film gathered 2.1 million views in two-and-a-half hours on Saturday, before the account was suspended.

From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026

One woman, 22-year-old Kayla Carris, told the news outlet that she witnessed bystanders “just throwing stuff and running” to get inside a nearby building.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2026

It has been Asia's worst-performing currency, according to financial outlet Bloomberg News, shedding around seven percent since the war began.

From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026

Leroy “Curly” Branitt, who was temporarily between jobs, had been driving his wife and mother-in-law to the outlet mall when he’d decided to make the brief detour.

From "Hoot" by Carl Hiaasen

Media outlets have recently been reporting on partnerships between museums, historical image collections and AI firms.

From Salon ● Jul. 28, 2026

The Facebook post tagged news outlets, and soon the Citrus County Chronicle, the local newspaper, wrote a story.

From Salon ● Jul. 27, 2026

His response this week reflects a broader shift among business leaders and other powerful figures, who are increasingly using podcasts and social media to bypass traditional news outlets and speak directly to the public.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026

Homeland Security has previously told news outlets it does not have a “domestic terrorist” database, but said it monitors incidents of “threats, assaults and obstruction” of its officers.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026

The walls were painted with thick, gobby epoxy paint, and all the electrical outlets were plugged around the edges with a gooey material.

From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston

Related Words

• market
• shop
• showroom