inning

noun

in·​ning ˈi-niŋ 

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  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)

Examples of inning in a Sentence

She hit a double in the fourth inning.

Recent Examples on the Web

Rojas is the second player in baseball history to hit a tying or go-ahead home run in the ninth inning of a winner-take-all World Series game. —Chandler Rome, New York Times, 2 Nov. 2025

The 2025 postseason, which ended when the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Toronto Blue Jays in the 11th inning of the seventh game of an ulcer-inducing World Series, stands with any in baseball history. —Steve Rushin, The Atlantic, 2 Nov. 2025

Ohtani was shaky right from the start, allowing base runners in every one of his three innings. —Barry M. Bloom, Sportico.com, 2 Nov. 2025

The hit didn’t yield any runs and the Blue Jays were able to get out of the first inning unscathed. —Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 2 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

in entry 2 + -ing entry 1

First Known Use

1735, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Phrases Containing inning

• the seventh-inning stretch

Rhymes for inning

• binning
• dinning
• ginning
• grinning
• pinning
• sinning
• skinning
• spinning
• thinning
• tinning
• twinning
• winning

Kids Definition

inning

noun

in·​ning ˈin-iŋ 

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

also : a baseball team's turn at bat