1
a
: a division of a baseball game consisting of a turn at bat for each team
also : a baseball team's turn at bat ending with the third out
b
innings ˈi-niŋz How to pronounce inning (audio) plural in form but singular or plural in construction : a division of a cricket match
c
: a player's turn (as in horseshoes, pool, or croquet)
2
: a chance or opportunity for action or accomplishment
—usually used in plural but singular or plural in construction
… that momentous innings … which was to project him into world politics …—The Times Literary Supplement (London)

inning

2 of 2

present participle of inn entry 2

Examples of inning in a Sentence

Noun She hit a double in the fourth inning.
Recent Examples on the Web
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Noun
Milwaukee was three outs from its first World Series title when Junior Camerino started the bottom of the 12th inning with a grounder to third. — Ronald Blum, Chicago Tribune, 28 Oct. 2026 Alex Gordon hits a tying home run with one out in the ninth inning, Eric Hosmer hits a sacrifice fly against Bartolo Colon in the 14th and the Kansas City Royals beat the New York Mets 5-4 in the longest opener in World Series history. — Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2026 That fifth inning was the first eight-run inning in World Series history. — Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 27 Oct. 2026 Alfonso Soriano then settled the game with an RBI single in the 12th inning, giving New York a 3-2 win and a 3-2 series lead. — Don Riddell, CNN Money, 26 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for inning

Word History

Etymology

Noun

in entry 2 + -ing entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

1735, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Time Traveler
The first known use of inning was in 1735

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Inning.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inning. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

Kids Definition

: a division of a baseball game consisting of a turn at bat for each team
also : a baseball team's turn at bat

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