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

But even before the ALDS started, Woo was healthy enough to finish off a bullpen session and even pitch a simulated inning. —The Athletic Mlb Staff, New York Times, 12 Oct. 2025

Cal Raleigh #29 of the Seattle Mariners watches his solo home run, his 59th of the season, during the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at T-Mobile Park on September 24, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. —Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Oct. 2025

The loss wasted an incredible effort by ace Tarik Skubal, who gave the Tigers six innings, giving up one run and striking out 13. —Brian Manzullo, Freep.com, 11 Oct. 2025

Junis walked one in two-thirds of an inning in his first playoff appearances. —Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 2 Oct. 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