outpost
Americannoun
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a station established at a distance from the main body of an army to protect it from surprise attack.
We keep only a small garrison of men at our desert outposts.
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the body of troops stationed there; detachment or perimeter guard.
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an outlying settlement, installation, position, etc.
noun
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military
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a position stationed at a distance from the area occupied by a major formation
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the troops assigned to such a position
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an outlying settlement or position
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a limit or frontier
Etymology
Origin of outpost
Explanation
An outpost is a camp or station that's somewhat isolated. A military outpost acts as a guard or defense against an enemy's attack on the larger military force. Whenever a small group of people sets up a camp at a distance from the main, larger organization (whether it's military or not), you can call their settlement an outpost. Explorers in the early days of the US set up outposts throughout the West, and many countries establish outposts near their borders with hostile neighbors — encampments for keeping an eye on them. The first written use of outpost is usually ascribed to George Washington.
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.
Earlier this week, Nasa also handed Blue Origin a contract worth up to $468m to deliver two commercial lunar terrain vehicles, built by Astrolab and Lunar Outpost, to the Moon's south pole by 2028.
From BBC • May 29, 2026
Appeared in the May 14, 2026, print edition as 'Jury Convicts Man For Chinese Outpost'.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 13, 2026
It marks a tragic milestone for Pitt and comes just as he appears set to embark on a new chapter with a new home, which is located in an exclusive community called Outpost Estates.
From MarketWatch • Oct. 20, 2025
By David L. Ulin Outpost 19: 184 pages, $19 If you buy books linked on our site, The Times may earn a commission from Bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookstores.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 14, 2023
It’s right next to a darkened screen flashing the words Outpost Under Repair Due to Recent Attack.
From "Amari and the Night Brothers" by B.B. Alston
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.
