outing

American  

[ou-ting] / ˈaʊ tɪŋ /

noun

1. a pleasure trip, excursion, picnic, or the like.

   the annual outing for the senior class.

   Synonyms:

   jaunt

2. 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.

3. the intentional exposure of a person’s denied or secret identity, orientation, or status, especially gay sexual orientation or transgender identity.

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outing British  

/ ˈaʊtɪŋ /

noun

1. a short outward and return journey; trip; excursion

2. informal the naming by homosexuals of other prominent homosexuals, often against their will

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Etymology

Origin of outing

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English; out, -ing ¹

Example Sentences

During the outing, he entered the sea twice to swim.

From BBC • Mar. 25, 2026

“In terms of the next outing, I do want to be better at executing in two-strike counts. I just didn’t finish off hitters as much as I wanted to.”

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 18, 2026

In a story in “Ladies’ Lunch,” an old woman, disheveled after an outing, looks in a mirror and sees “what Diane Arbus might have seen. She gazed, appalled, and being appalled pricked her interest.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 18, 2026

As part of the cruise line’s Savor My Catch program, this sustainable outing, anything caught is cleaned and prepared by the ship’s chefs for dinner that night.

From Salon • Mar. 14, 2026

Pac Rim had been my first outing of the season, because Martha was picking and choosing all of our assignments carefully.

From "Courage to Soar" by Simone Biles

Related Words

• excursion
• expedition
• picnic
• vacation