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Synonyms

outset

American  
[out-set] / ˈaʊtˌsɛt /

noun

outsets plural
  1. the beginning or start.

    I wanted to explain the situation at the outset.

  2. outsert.


outset British  
/ ˈaʊtˌsɛt /

noun

  1. a start; beginning (esp in the phrase from ( or at ) the outset )

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

outset Idioms  

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

Etymology

Origin of outset

First recorded in 1530–40; out- + set

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Vocabulary lists containing outset

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.

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“Today’s agreement is a significant win because the result is exactly what we have sought from the outset: a direct path to a trial based on the evidence,” a Paramount spokesperson said.

From Los Angeles Times Jul. 24, 2026

From the outset, Fedorov -- who never served in the army -- clashed with the military's command and their traditionally stiff approach.

From Barron's Jul. 16, 2026

From the outset, his decision to delay included the risk that he might never live long enough to collect — or might collect very little.

From MarketWatch Jul. 15, 2026

Salt, usually ultra-aggressive from the outset, had been frustrated by his inability to time the ball early in his innings.

From BBC Jul. 7, 2026

Eventually, we would plan to send out messages on our own and receive answers, but at the outset it seems more practical to begin by catching snatches of conversation between others.

From "The Lives of a Cell" by Lewis Thomas

Those series knew what they wanted to accomplish at their respective outsets, but could not match that overall intent with endings that were previously determined for them.

From Salon Jul. 15, 2021

Mr. Blodget tells us that he never expected to advance more than a quarter of the outsets.

From Glimpses of the Past History of the River St. John, A.D. 1604-1784 by Raymond, W. O. (William Odber)

When a part of the common is enclosed and farmed, the enclosure is called an outset; but the outsets are never included in the numeration of merks of rental land.

From Second Shetland Truck System Report by Guthrie, William

But the outsets, with the strictest economy, must always of necessity be large, showing that crime is an important drawback to industry and thrift.

From The Prison Chaplaincy, And Its Experiences by Quinby, Hosea

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