outpost

noun

out·​post ˈau̇t-ˌpōst How to pronounce outpost (audio)
Synonyms of outpostnext
1
a
: a security detachment dispatched by a main body of troops to protect it from enemy surprise
b
: a military base established by treaty or agreement in another country
2
a
: an outlying or frontier settlement
b
: an outlying branch or position of a main organization or group

Examples of outpost in a Sentence

an American outpost in Africa The city was established as a military outpost in the 1800s. a remote outpost of the old British Empire
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The state was apportioned a bare 300,000 acre-feet a year in 1928, when Las Vegas was merely a dusty outpost miles from the Hoover Dam construction site. — Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026 Under the leadership of Amina Belouizdad Porter, who’s been occupying the CEO chair since 2018, PS has expanded to Atlanta, Dallas-Fort Worth, and Miami, with plans to open its first international outpost in Paris (at CDG) in 2027. — Laura Dannen Redman, Robb Report, 22 Oct. 2026 The growing visibility of Rosana Paulino’s work reaches a new chapter with the opening this week of her first solo exhibition in Paris, at Mendes Wood DM’s outpost in the French capital. — Tatiane De Assis, ARTnews.com, 21 Oct. 2026 The South Florida outpost located inside the Wywood Jungle building, marks the second location for the 27 Club. — Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 21 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for outpost

Word History

First Known Use

1720, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of outpost was in 1720

Rhymes for outpost

See All Rhymes for outpost

Browse Nearby Words

outporter
outpost
outpour
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Cite this Entry

“Outpost.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/outpost. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

outpost

noun
out·​post ˈau̇t-ˌpōst How to pronounce outpost (audio)
1
: a guard stationed at a distance from a military force or camp
2
: the position occupied by an outpost
3
: a settlement on a frontier or in a faraway place

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