outset

noun

ˈau̇t-ˌset How to pronounce outset (audio)
Definition of outsetnext
as in beginning
the point at which something begins I wish you'd mentioned this problem at the outset

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of outset In more stable environments, success was often measured by the ability to build the most accurate plan at the outset and execute against it. — Stephen MacFarlane, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026 Fitzwilliam Darcy is not, at the outset of Pride and Prejudice, particularly lovable. — Literary Hub, 29 June 2026 Founded in 1764 at the outset of the difficulties over taxation and Parliamentary rule, the Courant quickly became a voice for patriot concerns and an important measure of how far down the road the little colony was prepared to travel. — Dr. Matthew Warshauer, Hartford Courant, 26 June 2026 The persistence of these misconceptions matters because clinicians and the public alike may expect Ebola to look dramatic from the outset, when in reality its early manifestations often resemble many other common infectious diseases. — Krutika Kuppalli, STAT, 26 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for outset
Recent Examples of Synonyms for outset
  1. beginning
  2. start
  3. inception
  4. onset
  5. commencement
Noun
  • Prior to the trial beginning, the judge agreed that questions about Brown’s felony conviction for his 2009 assault on then-girlfriend Rihanna would be barred from testimony.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 1 July 2026
  • June was a frenetic month for the metro Atlanta restaurant scene, driven in part by a flurry of downtown openings timed to the beginning of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
    — Olivia Wakim, AJC.com, 1 July 2026
Definition of beginning
Noun
  • Acuff got off to a much better start after struggling to make shots in his summer league debut on Saturday.
    — Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 7 July 2026
  • Belgium added to the lead early in the second half on a major error from goalie Matt Freese, who had given up just one goal in his first three starts.
    — Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026
Definition of start
Noun
  • Some team executives and agents have considered the second apron, set at just under $222 million this coming season, as a de facto hard cap since its inception.
    — Mike Vorkunov, New York Times, 4 July 2026
  • Since its inception, social media has been a proving ground for tween fashion and identity, offering under-16s a digital canvas to experiment with their style and form online cliques around niche interests.
    — Sophie Lou Wilson, Vogue, 2 July 2026
Definition of inception
Noun
  • The three-year war erupted at the onset of the collapse of Yugoslavia, with Bosnia and Herzegovina becoming one of the first countries to declare its independence from the country in 1992.
    — Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 2 July 2026
  • The abnormal heat has been driven by the onset of El Niño, a natural climate pattern characterized by unusually warm waters along the equatorial tropical Pacific Ocean.
    — Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 1 July 2026
Definition of onset
Noun
  • Those commencement boos came from a young generation that has watched AI reframe entry-level work as inefficiency, seen generative content flood the visual landscape, and built their own creative identities through friction and craft.
    — Reid Litman, Fortune, 5 July 2026
  • There is a reason some students booed commencement speakers who mentioned AI this graduation season.
    — Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026
Definition of commencement

Browse Nearby Words

outs
outset
outsets
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Outset.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outset. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on outset

Nglish: Translation of outset for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All