outing
Americannoun
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a pleasure trip, excursion, picnic, or the like.
the annual outing for the senior class.
- Synonyms:
- jaunt
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a public appearance, as by a participant in an athletic contest or event.
The new player scored spectacularly in his second outing with the team.
-
the intentional exposure of a person’s denied or secret identity, orientation, or status, especially gay sexual orientation or transgender identity.
noun
-
a short outward and return journey; trip; excursion
-
informal the naming by homosexuals of other prominent homosexuals, often against their will
Etymology
Origin of outing
First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English; see origin at out, -ing 1
Explanation
An outing is a short trip, especially one that takes no longer than a day. For example, you might ask your pal if he'd like to go on an outing to the zoo. A summer outing might be a picnic or a day at the beach, while a winter outing could consist of a hike in the snow or a shopping trip and lunch at a restaurant. Any brief, fun journey can be called an outing. In the fourteenth century, an outing was simply the "action of going out," and in the fifteenth century it started to mean "act of putting out" as well. By the 1800s it had gained today's definition.
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.
Leisz leaned into the snobby, blue-blood aesthetic described in the book for her outing.
From Los Angeles Times • May 4, 2026
That tattoo and the social media posts -- which Platner explains respectively as the result of a misguided outing during his Marines days and dark post-combat rants -- highlighted the risk of running untested candidates.
From Barron's • May 3, 2026
The more Anthony learns about Daniel, the more there is to discover—which makes a fascinated reader eager for the duo’s next outing.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026
Practically everywhere you look, there’s Meryl Streep’s fictional editrix-in-chief, Miranda Priestly, and Anne Hathaway’s plucky assistant-turned-editor, Andy Sachs, ready for their second big-screen outing few were asking for but everyone will watch.
From Salon • Apr. 20, 2026
The only other outing I made that week that’s worth mentioning was my trip to the hospital.
From "Anthem of a Reluctant Prophet" by Joanne Proulx
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.
