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

Langford, three innings later, tore it open with a three-run home run into left field for his fifth of the spring. —Shawn McFarland, Dallas Morning News, 19 Mar. 2026

Later in the inning, the Oilers’ Jason Dunham hit a two-out single that scored Eddie Lucero from second with the tying run. —Lou Ponsi, Oc Register, 19 Mar. 2026

Venezuela’s Daniel Palencia then threw a perfect ninth inning to end the game and win the WBC. —Washington Examiner Staff, The Washington Examiner, 18 Mar. 2026

The one-time All-Star also hit a walk-off double in the bottom of the 13th inning against the Chicago Cubs in the ’16 NLDS, ensuring the Giants staved off elimination down 2-0. —Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 18 Mar. 2026

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