outward-bound

¹ American  

[out-werd-bound] / ˈaʊt wərdˈbaʊnd /

adjective

1. headed in an outward direction, as toward foreign ports.

   We passed an outward-bound ship as we came into the harbor.

---

Outward Bound ² American  

noun

1. a play (1923) by Sutton Vane.

---

Outward Bound British  

noun

1. (in Britain) a scheme to provide adventure training for young people

---

Etymology

Origin of outward-bound

First recorded in 1595–1605

Example Sentences

In terms of performance, the bank scored higher net interest income, a closely-watched benchmark measuring the difference between revenue from lending and outward-bound interest payments.

From Barron's • Jan. 13, 2026

Her style is cool and outward-bound; I’d love to love it.

From New York Times • Nov. 30, 2016

On distant seas, their dragon-prows went gleaming outward-bound ship.

From Slate • Oct. 30, 2015

IT IS hard to rise to the top in business without doing an outward-bound course.

From Economist • Oct. 2, 2014

Sea′ward-bound, outward-bound, as a vessel leaving harbour; Sea′ward-gaz′ing, gazing or looking towards the sea.—n.

From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 4 of 4: S-Z and supplements) by Various