outpouring
Americannoun
-
outpourings
plural
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of outpouring
1750–60; out- + pouring ( def. )
Explanation
An outpouring is a gush, flow, or fast stream of something. An outpouring of lava from an active volcano would be a bad thing, but an outpouring of support from the community would be a very good thing. A literal outpouring is something you can actually see, like an outpouring of water from a hose. It's actually more common to use outpouring figuratively, as in an outpouring of community support for a family of refugees or an outpouring of new work by a prolific artist. This noun dates from the fifteenth century, when it was first used to describe "a pouring out of spiritual things."
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:
His death has prompted an outpouring of love from the community he proudly called home, along with is beloved Huddersfield Town - the club he followed from childhood.
From BBC ● Oct. 30, 2026
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has led an outpouring of support for Haines, who was widely praised for her efforts to increase transparency in politics and crack down on corruption.
From Barron's ● Oct. 20, 2026
Odinga's death at 80 prompted an outpouring of grief across Kenya.
From BBC ● Oct. 11, 2026
Last year, when the Crunchwrap—Taco Bell’s beloved toasted hexagonal foodstuff—turned 20, it inspired a grande-sized outpouring of affection.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
Some remarkable process must be responsible for the vast outpouring of energy in a quasar.
From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan
But is the joint silence a sign that, after the years of public outpourings this next phase, perhaps one of reconciliation, will happen away from the cameras, without a fanfare?
From BBC ● Aug. 29, 2025
Every song in her discographical universe matters, and any surprise song she chooses will invariably educe outpourings of jubilation.
From Salon ● Oct. 13, 2023
And just as with Delvey, whose story spawned dueling TV series and endless outpourings of ironic adulation, the fascination with Santos has now taken on an air of mordant admiration.
From Slate ● May 16, 2023
Calvin Wainright eventually became a youth coach so influential in the area that his death in October spurred news reports and outpourings in the city.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 25, 2023
When within sight of the Earth on each of its orbits, it would stimulate outpourings of superstitious fervor among the Earthlings.
From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
