outsource

verb

out·​source ˈau̇t-ˌsȯrs 

outsourced; outsourcing; outsources

transitive + intransitive

: to procure (something, such as some goods or services needed by a business or organization) from outside sources and especially from foreign or nonunion suppliers : to contract for work, jobs, etc., to be done by outside or foreign workers

decided to outsource some back-office operations

Some services and aspects of production were outsourced to cut costs.

Firms outsource to capitalize on their strengths while minimizing business activities that are not core functions.

—John K. Borchardt

compare insource

Examples of outsource in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

That streamlined system was not allowed in 2022, which is why schools had to outsource player compensation to other entities and individuals, which may or may not have been able to follow through. —Matt Baker, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2026

Own the experience, outsource the commodity. —Ioannis Ioannou, Fortune, 17 Feb. 2026

Earlier this month, RentAHuman, a platform that lets artificial intelligence (AI) agents outsource real-world tasks to people, quietly launched. —Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 16 Feb. 2026

When should someone outsource their investing strategy versus DIYing it? —Roxana Popescu, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1979, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for outsource

• concourse
• divorce
• endorse
• enforce
• indorse
• midcourse
• perforce
• racecourse
• racehorse
• remorse
• seahorse
• workforce